


The Black Paladin

by GriffinRose



Series: The Black Paladin [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Season/Series 03, Elemental Magic, Gen, Keith is trying to be the leader, Lotor is Inigo Montoya, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pirates, Post-Season/Series 02, Shiro is lost and tired, Space Pirates, Team as Family, but he's alive damn it, elemental paladins, magic Allura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-26
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-09-20 02:15:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 80,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9471002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GriffinRose/pseuds/GriffinRose
Summary: *Post Season 2!*The empire is not as defeated as the team thought, which make's Shiro's disappearance that much more bitter. Everyone's a little lost and confused, some physically, some mentally. No one knows what's going on, and honestly the appearance of some Prince guy is the last thing they wanted.But they'll be damned if they let this prince stand in their way of finding Shiro.





	1. Prologue: The Prince

**Author's Note:**

> This is my version of season 3, and I only sort of know where I'm going with it. So buckle up kiddies it's gonna be a ride.

The Prince

Soldiers jumped out of the way when they saw him storming down the hall. _Good._ Lotor was in no mood for any petty issues or groveling they might try to throw at him. Any other day and he would have loved to see commanders press themselves up against the wall or falling on the floor in front of him.

Today, he couldn’t give a Traq’s ass about them. 

Haggar’s summons were always bad, but the commander who’d sent him the message had also told him what happened at central command. He’d told him what happened to his father. 

Not dead yet, but it would be kinder if he was. The great Emperor Zarkon slept in a deep coma, one he might not wake up from. If not for Haggar’s magic, he might already be dead. 

Lotor stormed into his father’s quarters. Machines and copious amounts of wires surrounded the pod that had replaced the bed. Two sentries stood at the foot of the pod, which Lotor thought was ridiculous. Zarkon was hardly a threat like this; not many people would try to attack him right now. And if they did, mindless sentries wouldn’t stop them. 

Zarkon made for a pitiful sight. Most of his body was hidden by the pod, but his head was visible. Scarred scalp, oxygen mask over half his face, and far, far too still. Zarkon had never been still in the entirety of Lotor’s life. 

Lotor had never looked like his father, even in Zarkon’s younger days. He’d taken after his mother, with hairless violet skin and lavender hair. To spite his father he’d grown it out ages ago; typically he kept most of it pulled back in a simply pony-tail, leaving two chunks to frame his face in front of his pointed ears. 

“Prince Lotor,” Haggar greeted behind him. 

Lotor turned to her. The witch always made his skin crawl, but he had learned how to hide his discomfort over the years. She looked the same as ever. 

“I hope you’ve kept up your training,” Haggar said, walking up next to him to look down at Zarkon. 

Lotor frowned. One look at him should make it obvious he’d kept up his training. Muscles like this didn’t happen from a few measly push-ups a day, after all. 

“You know I have,” he stated. “Can we skip the pleasantries?” Not like they were all that pleasant, anyway. 

“You’ve heard of Voltron’s return?” Haggar asked. 

“Yes.”

“Destroy them. Use whatever you need to. You’ll be granted full access to all the empire’s resources.”

Funny how she made it sound like it was her empire. 

“Why are you sending me after Voltron? Shouldn’t I remain here to take over as emperor?”

“Don’t be so presumptuous. Zarkon is not dead yet.” 

And if his father were to recover and find Lotor had taken his place, he would NOT be pleased. Of course, that depended on Zarkon waking up in the first place. 

“You’re that certain he’ll recover from this?” Lotor asked. 

“I’ll make certain he does,” Haggar responded. “But you need to destroy Voltron before that happens.”

“I thought my father wanted the lions captured, so he could control it.”

Haggar’s face twisted in a grimace. “Zarkon has a distracting obsession with those lions. For his own sake, we need to destroy Voltron before he awakens.”

A distracting obsession, huh? That was an interesting way of phrasing it. Clearly, Lotor should have visited the Command ship more often. 

“Besides, Voltron has made a mockery of the Galra empire,” Haggar went on, circling Zarkon’s pod. “We must make an example of them and crush any feeble resistances that still exist.”

That Lotor could whole-heartedly agree with. 

“Do you know their current location?” he asked. A few different strategies were coming to mind, most revolving around brute force. 

“No, they used a wormhole to escape again. With Zarkon unconscious we have no way of tracking them that they cannot detect.”

Ah, that was right, he’d forgotten about their wormhole ability. It was an old way of travel; most ships now just used warp speed. There was more control over where they were going, and it took about the same amount of time. Using a wormhole however did mean that they couldn’t be tracked. He’d have to find them another way. 

“Keep my father alive,” Lotor ordered as he turned on his heel. He had work to do. Voltron would not get away with nearly killing him. 

He went to talk with the head general for information. They’d been fighting Voltron for a few weeks now, yet they hadn’t beaten them. So what had they done wrong? What strategies hadn’t worked? Lotor didn’t feel like wasting his time repeating their mistakes. 

Brute force didn’t work; they’d just create an opening and escape through a wormhole. Strong numbers had done well for a while, but they had a knack for finding the smallest opening and escaping. 

It seemed like if they hadn’t been fighting a destructive robeast, they’d simply escaped until such a time that they could strike back on their own terms. 

A clever strategy, but as long as he could separate Voltron from the castle, they wouldn’t be able to escape together. He would just need something that would keep Voltron busy while the rest of their forces destroyed their ship. 

A plan started to form in his mind. He would need another robeast, but he wasn’t about to ask Haggar for a thing. He had his own magicians to rely on. 

He went to a terminal and sent a call out. He didn’t particularly care for this man, but his work had never failed Lotor in the past. 

Mahox answered the call. “Lord Lotor, what can I do for you?”

“I have a proposition for you.”


	2. WWSD? (What Would Shiro Do?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team struggles to put themselves back together. Keith attempts to do what Shiro would do and console everyone, but those are some big shoes to fill.

 

No one was handling the situation well. Keith felt like he was going to break apart, but he couldn’t focus on himself. He was the leader, he had to make sure his team was alright.

 

That was what Shiro would do. He always made sure everyone else was alright first.

 

He checked in with Slav and Coran first.

 

“Hey, how are repairs going?” Keith asked. He hovered a few feet away from them in the engine room, arms close to his side and not in danger of accidentally hitting something.

 

“Well, they could be better,” Coran admitted, popping out from under some machine with a weird looking wrench in his hand. “Almost every system needs to be fixed, and a good chunk of it needs to be replaced altogether.”

 

“The odds of this castle operating at full capacity again are 0.00004% in at least sixty-three realities,” Slav stated, appearing out of nowhere behind Keith.

 

He jumped and whirled around, hand reaching for his knife. He calmed down quickly, but he was tempted to skewer Slav anyway. “How about in this reality?”

 

“Oh, in this reality it’s 0.0008%.”

 

Keith dragged a hand over his face and turned back to Coran. “Just…do what you can. We’ll figure out the worst of what you can’t fix later.” They’d need to make a list of whatever they couldn’t repair and see if it was worth it to find replacements.

 

“Right-o!”

 

Keith was only too glad to leave them when Slav started going off about another reality in which the engines ran off of grass and dirt. Coran could deal with that. He was still working on the whole patience thing, and skewering one of the few mechanics they had was probably a bad way to start as a leader.

 

He hadn’t meant to, but he found Hunk next in the kitchen. He was elbow deep in flour, kneading some kind of purple dough.

 

“Hey, how you doing?” Keith asked.

 

“Oh, hi Keith. Did you know that Alien flour doesn’t need to rise? It just automatically does it. I’m seeing if I can make garlic knots for Lance. And if that works well then I’m going to make pizza.”

 

“That’d be awesome,” Keith said. Hunk hadn’t actually answered the question though, which was a little concerning. “But are you okay?”

 

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I’m fine. You know just worried about Shiro lost all alone in the universe and probably being captured by Galra again while we hope that we can find him in time. And trying to form Voltron with everyone switched around and Allura flying and you leading and—“

 

Keith was sorry he’d asked. What was he supposed to do now?

 

What would Shiro do?

 

Whenever Keith had started rambling his aeronautics notes before a test, Shiro had calmed him down and told him it would be okay. This was kind of the same thing, right? He needed to calm Hunk down and tell him it would be okay. He could do that.

 

“Hunk, you’re rambling.”

 

Hunk cut off mid-sentence. “Oh, sorry.”

 

Crap. How did Shiro do this? “It’s okay. Um. Shiro will be fine. He knows how to survive the Galra, and he knows we’re out here.” If he was okay enough to move. Just because he was alive didn’t mean he wasn’t hurt. Keith had a feeling saying so wouldn’t help Hunk calm down. “We’ll find him. And we’ll work on the teamwork thing, so forming Voltron shouldn’t be a problem. It’ll be okay.”

 

That was convincing, right?

 

Hunk offered him a smile. “Thanks, Keith. You’re right, it’ll work out in the end.”

 

Keith let out a breath and felt the tension drain from his shoulders. Success. “Let me know when the garlic knots are done.” He patted Hunk’s shoulder and started walking out of the kitchen.

 

“You got it. Hey, is there any kind of food you want me to try and make? I mean, I can’t make any promises, but I can see what I can do.”

 

Keith hesitated in the doorway. “Mac ‘n’ cheese,” he stated.

 

Hunk smiled brighter. “Good choice, my man.”

 

Keith left him in what he hoped were higher spirits and started looking for one of the others. This wasn’t too bad. He could do this. Just let them rant a little and tell them it would be okay. Keep his own misgivings about everything tightly under wraps. Easy.

 

It took him a while to find anyone else. In the end he went down to Green’s hanger where he knew Pidge had her workshop.

 

She was unsurprisingly clacking away on her keyboard.

 

“Hey, what’s up?” he asked.

 

“Can’t talk, busy.”

 

Oookay that made this a lot more difficult. Would Shiro press her to open up or would he just leave her be?

 

Two days ago Keith would have let her be and moved on, and he was tempted to do so now. But he needed to be a better leader, so maybe the right thing to do was press her.

 

“What are you working on?”

 

Her fingers barely slowed. “I’m using the files I got from Beta Traz to hack into their network and find logs of all their prisoners. I know Matt escaped with a rebel group, but I haven’t heard anything about my father yet and now with Shiro missing…”

 

He hadn’t known she’d learned anything about Matt. “What rebel group?” Were there more besides the Blade of Marmora?

 

“I don’t know.”

 

That was decidedly unhelpful. If there were more rebels, it might be worth it to go talk to them. Zarkon might be gone but his empire still spanned the universe, and there would be months of cleanup getting rid of his influence. A new regime would need to be put in place, something that gave control back to the individual planets. The rebels could help with that.

 

And it would be that many more people looking for Shiro.

 

Keith took a deep breath and opened his mouth.

 

Pidge interrupted him first. “I’ll tell you when I know more. Right now I just want to work on it alone.”

 

Okay. He could respect that. He’d told Shiro that often enough back at the Garrison, he understood this. He put a hand on her shoulder. “Thanks for doing this. Let me know if you need anything or if you just want to talk to someone.”

 

There. Exactly like Shiro used to do it.

 

He left Pidge clacking away, retreating into the hall and leaning against the wall for a minute. So much for this being easy. It was like a verbal obstacle course trying to talk to everyone right now. At least there were only two more people he needed to find.

 

He checked the other lion hangers first, since he was already down there. Allura was meditating in front of Blue, but her ears twitched when he entered and she turned to him. “Hello, Keith.”

 

“Hey. How’s it going?”

 

“Good. I’ve been sharing some childhood stories with her to try and grow closer,” she said.

 

“That’s good.” Trust Allura to be hard at work while the others were all an emotional mess. She was used to being a leader, she understood duty. “Think you’ll be up to flying her in practice tomorrow?”

 

“I think so.”

 

“Good.” Keith nodded absently, at a loss for what to say next. She seemed fine, was he supposed to just leave her to it? Was he supposed to say something else? Blatantly asking how she was handling the loss of Shiro was probably a bad idea, but he didn’t know how else to get her to open up about it.

 

“Do you have any ideas on how to track Shiro yet?” Allura asked.

 

It occurred to him that she hadn’t looked at him once the entire time he’d been here. She’d kept her eyes closed and still sat in her meditative position, which he hadn’t thought odd at first, but if the conversation was going to continue, it was a little weird.

 

“Pidge is hacking into prison logs now,” Keith said.

 

“He wouldn’t be on there,” Allura stated.

 

That was what Keith thought too, but it was their only lead right now. “You have any other ideas?”

 

“Not yet.”

 

Wow. Incredibly helpful. It was like pulling teeth with this woman. Alien. Person.

 

“I’m gonna go check on Lance,” Keith said, not running away from the conversation at all. There just wasn’t anything else to say. Shiro would have left too.

 

Shiro would not have left, Shiro would have been thinking of ways to find his missing teammate and he’d be doing that by cooperating with the teammates he had left.

 

Keith let out a breath and leaned back against a wall outside the hanger. He tipped his head back and stared up at the ceiling. Shiro wouldn’t have flat out run away from that. But Keith couldn’t bring himself to go back. Allura might have apologized for how she’d treated him after finding out his heritage, but things were still rocky between them. The new dynamic wasn’t helping.

 

 _Tomorrow. I’ll try again with her tomorrow._ It was the best he could do.

 

In the meantime, there was one last teammate to check on. He wasn’t sure what to expect with Lance. Normally Lance was loud and overwhelming, with an ego bigger than his lion. But Keith had hardly seen him since the last battle, and the few times he had Lance had been quiet and somber.

 

He didn’t even know where to _look_ for the guy. The pool? His room? Would he be trying to meditate with Red?

 

Lance didn’t seem like the meditating type, so Keith crossed that off. He checked the pool and found it empty, checked his room to no avail, he even checked the training deck.

 

A quiet voice in the back of his mind told him Shiro would know where to look. Any good leader would know where to find their teammates when they wanted to be alone.

 

He stamped that voice down as hard as he could. He would deal with it later. First, find Lance.

 

It took him an hour, but he finally found the missing paladin in the control room with the map of the universe around him. He stared at one galaxy in particular in front of him.

 

“Hey, what are you doing?” Keith asked.

 

Lance sat on the edge of the center dais, knees drawn to his chest and chin on his folded arms. “You know, I actually really thought we’d be home by now.”

 

Oh. That was the Milky Way he was looking at, then.

 

“We were going to beat Zarkon, save the universe, and then go home and relax.”

 

Keith took a seat next to him, leaning forward on his knees. “Even if things had worked out perfectly, we’d still be needed to help the universe get back on its feet. There’s still work to be done.”

 

“I know, and I get that,” Lance said. “But I was really looking forward to seeing my family again. It’s been months. They probably think I’m dead.”

 

Oh Quiznak Keith was not qualified for this abort abort abort. Missing Shiro? He could work with that. Unhappy with Keith being leader? Well Lance could take a number and get in line, so was Keith. Homesickness? Nope, Keith didn’t know how to deal with that.

 

“It’ll be okay.” _REALLY? He’s pouring his heart out and that’s the best you got? Idiot!_

 

Lance snorted. “You kind of suck at the whole comforting thing.”

 

“I know,” Keith groaned, burying his face in his hands. “I’m sorry. Um. Hunk was trying to make Garlic Knots for you?”

 

A sad smile spread over Lance’s face. “Yeah, I know. But no matter what he does, it’s still not going to be home.”

 

Keith was only making it worse, wasn’t he? What the hell would Shiro do right now? Would he hug Lance? Would he have some amazing speech about how it would all be worth it in the end?

 

Crap the silence was stretching on too long Keith needed to do something he needed to say something already.

 

He pounced on Lance, wrapping his arms around him. Lance yelped and stiffened under him. “What the Quiznak are you doing?”

 

“Your family will be really proud of you. And you’re saving a lot of people out here. It’s…um…for a good cause?”

 

“Holy Quiznak get off of me,” Lance muttered, shoving Keith off. He dragged a hand over his face. “I appreciate your poor attempts to console me, but it’s not helping. Homesickness…it’s just something you have to let hurt for a while.” The flash of irritation that had animated Lance was gone just as quickly as it had come, and Lance was left hunched in on himself and looking away from Keith.

 

Keith bit his lip. He really was doing a terrible job at this. “Sorry. Is there, um, anything I can do?”

 

“Find Shiro and make all the Galra in the universe disappear so we can go home?” Lance suggested.

 

It was like a knife twisting inside Keith. Lance probably hadn’t meant it like that, he’d forgotten in the heat of the moment, and his eyes widened as soon as he realized.

 

“Wait, shit, I forgot. Not you, of course, I didn’t mean you. The other Galra that enslaved the universe, make them disappear. You’re a good Galra.”

 

“I get it,” Keith said quietly. He could let it hurt later. Everyone else always came first, that was the primary characteristic of Takashi Shirogane. That was what he needed to do. Stomp down his pain, help the others first.

 

Lance ran a hand through his hair.

 

Keith squeezed his shoulder. “We’ll get you home soon, Lance, I promise.” He stood up to make his exit while his composure held.

 

Lance let him get to the door before calling out his name, but Keith just kept walking.

 

The voice in the back of his mind was back, telling him Shiro would have seen what else Lance had to say. Shiro was always willing to listen.

 

Keith walked to the training deck. He’d seen to all the others, he could deal with himself now. They’d be fine for a little bit while he broke down and let out his own pain.

 

Bayard in one hand, Marmora blade in the other, he summoned the level 4 gladiator. He’d picked up a lot of new tricks in the last two weeks, and he took this opportunity to try them out. His form was sloppy with inexperience though, and the gladiator was unforgiving.

 

After the beating the Marmorites had given him, Keith had learned how to press on no matter how much pain he was in. This was nothing compared to that day.

 

This was nothing compared to the agony tearing him up inside.

 

Parry, thrust, block, swing, slash, step right, parry, dodge, dodge, dodge _dodge!_

 

He went flying across the room, tumbling head over heels.

 

Deep breath, push back to his feet. Where was his bayard? He spotted it ten feet away, but the gladiator was only five and rushing in fast. He raised the Marmora blade and went on the defensive. The gladiator pushed him back, attacks following one after the other.

 

He kept up pretty well, until he went to block a wide swing from the staff with his arm. The crack as the weapon hit his arm rang in his ears. The pain that followed brought him to his knees.

 

“End training sequence!” he gasped out. The gladiator froze with its staff inches from landing another hit against his head.

 

He let go of the Marmora blade and clutched his right arm. It throbbed, but he could still move his fingers. So, not broken, but it sure as hell felt like it.

 

This was why Shiro always told him not to fight when he was upset. He always ended up hurt; only this time, there was no Shiro to patch him up.

 

_Quiznak. What kind of leader goes off and fights until he’s hurt? Shiro was never like that._

He felt his throat closing up.

 

_Shiro would have known how to cheer everyone up. Shiro wouldn’t have done this to himself._

 

“But I’m not Shiro!” he yelled, hunching in on himself. Some mixture of yelling and sobbing ripped itself out of his throat, and his face was a mushy mess of tears.

 

He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t lead the team. He could barely take care of himself. He was the one always rushing into things and getting into trouble, barely considering the others before he did it. What had Shiro seen in him? What had made Shiro think this was a good idea?

 

The only blessing he got was the fact that the training deck was soundproof, so no one heard his breakdown. That was good. He couldn’t let them see him like this, not when he was trying so hard to be a good leader for them. Even if he was failing at it, he didn’t want them to know that.

 

It was a long time before he started calming down. He felt completely exhausted, and his arm still hurt. He should probably try and treat that…

 

Eh, if it still bothered him tomorrow he’d do something about it.

 

Hunk’s voice chimed in through the speakers. “Hey guys, dinner is ready!”

 

Keith took a shaky breath and gathered his weapons. His movements were slow. He didn’t want to deal with everyone right now. He’d rather skip dinner and hide out in his room. They wouldn’t miss him.

 

He turned right outside the training deck towards the living quarters, but guilt made him stop just a few steps away.

 

Shiro wouldn’t skip a meal, even like this. So Keith couldn’t skip the meal either.

 

He took a deep breath and nodded to himself. A quick detour to the bathroom to wash his face removed any evidence of his crying, and his jacket hid the already forming bruise on his arm. It would be a nasty one that was for sure. But no one had to know about it.

 

Dinner was quiet. Hunk hadn’t quite succeeded in his garlic knots; they were a little too watery, but the taste was there.

 

If anyone noticed Keith using his left arm, they didn’t say anything. He helped Lance with cleanup afterwards, and neither of them said anything while putting plates in the alien dish cleaner. They took rags out to the table when the dishes were done and wiped up the table.

 

That done, Lance stretched his arms above his head. “Well, I think I’m gonna head to bed early.”

 

“Okay,” Keith said. “Sleep well. Training tomorrow.”

 

“Yeah, yeah.” Lance waved a hand behind him while he walked out.

 

Keith sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. That awful feeling of failure was creeping up on him again.

 

Whatever. He’d try again with Lance tomorrow. Their relationship was always unsteady, anyway.

 

He made another round checking on everyone, doing as poorly as he’d done earlier. Hunk at least seemed to realize that he was trying, and he was all warm smiles and comforting smiles.

 

That somehow made Keith feel even worse.

 

He ended the night in Shiro’s room, curled up on his bed and staring into the darkness. When sleep finally came, hours later, it was a thankfully dreamless sleep

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not every chapter will be Keith-centric, I promise. 
> 
> Next up we see what torments I have planned for Shiro! Stay tuned! I'm hoping to get it up either Sunday or Monday.


	3. Loneliness Has Many Forms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro's journey begins, and Lotor plots to ruin everything.

Loneliness Has Many Forms

 

Over the last year or so, Shiro had woken up in a plethora of concerning places. Alien control decks, prison cells, labs, and weird ramshackle desert shacks, to name a few.

 

This though? This blew all of those out of the water. Or out of the universe, considering that was all he could tell you about his current location.

 

He was drifting alone through a galaxy, an endless expanse of stars around him. He’d felt less isolated in Galra prison cells.

 

“Guys? Can anyone hear me?” he asked, begged. He didn’t even hear static. More than likely he was too far out of range, or his radio had been damaged. Or both. Probably both.

 

There was no answer, of course, but he couldn’t help hoping that there might be one.

 

“Okay, Shiro, stay calm. You don’t seem that injured, and you’ve been in worse positions before. I can’t think of any right now, but I’m sure there’s been worse.”

 

Floating alone with who knew how much life support left and little to no hope of rescue was definitely up there for “Worst Situations Ever” though. He didn’t even remember how he’d ended up out here.

 

They’d been fighting Zarkon, and he’d just gotten the black bayard back…Voltron had stabbed Zarkon’s suit…a flash…and then nothing. He woke up drifting through space.

 

“Did Black eject me?” It was the only thing that made sense, considering the few injuries he had. If something had happened to the lion, he would be a lot worse off. But why had Black ejected him? What had gone wrong? Did he do something to break Black’s trust with him? He’d thought they were on the same page.

 

He tried to reach out to his lion. Red had done this for Keith, so maybe he could connect with Black and have her come rescue him. Or at the very least give him a clue what direction to point his jet-pack in to get back to the others.

 

Were the others even okay? Had they all been ejected and left to float helplessly through space? He needed to get back and find out.

 

 _C’mon Black, work with me here_. It was harder to reach his bond than he could ever remember. Even the first few days as a Paladin hadn’t been this difficult. Was it just the distance causing it? Or had that last struggle with Zarkon broken something?

 

He hated not knowing. That was one of the worst parts about this situation. The other part was the loneliness. He could hardly feel his connection with Black. It was like a piece of elastic being stretched too far; any further and it would snap in half and break forever.

 

 _Okay, calm down, Shiro_ , he told himself, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Panic wouldn’t get him anywhere. He needed to focus and come up with a plan.

 

First things first. He needed to land somewhere. Anywhere. Some place preferably with an atmosphere and other people he could ask for help. He’d settle for an atmosphere though. He could fight off any unfriendly people.

 

Twisting around, he didn’t see any likely places he could land. His jet pack could take him a fair distance, but what direction should he go in?  What was the closest planet?

 

The mini-computers in the wrist gauntlet weren’t any help; the system was severed when he got thrown out of Black. He was entirely on his own out here, all alone in the big wide universe.

 

He’d never felt so small. He was a big guy, and he’d hit his growth spurt early in school, so he was used to taking up more space than other people. Now, though, he felt like he didn’t take up any space at all. He was barely a speck in the cosmos. He could fly for days or weeks and not find anything. Not that he’d survive that long, but assuming he could the thought was depressing.

 

He took another deep breath and just picked a random direction. He had to come across something eventually.

 

Hopefully his life support would last long enough. They’d never tested the air regulators for endurance, there had never been time. Now, that oversight was coming back to haunt him.

 

In the suit he’d worn for the Kerberos mission, he’d known exactly how long he could survive before the oxygen would run out. They’d been bulkier and less maneuverable, but there was something comforting about knowing his limits. All this alien technology left him floundering, just struggling to keep up and do the bare minimum.

 

He shook his head. He couldn’t let himself go down that path. He needed to stay focused on the here and now. Alien tech was what he had to work with, and he’d get used to it.

 

Of course, if he couldn’t find civilization it wouldn’t matter.

 

He used the jet pack in spurts. Thanks to the physics of space, just turning it on for a little bit gave him the momentum to keep going. The moments he felt like he wasn’t getting anywhere, that was when he turned it on. It helped break up the deafening silence around him, too. He’d never known a quiet so loud before.

 

New goal: Find civilization before he went absolutely _insane_. No wonder Slav rambled so much. He probably talked so much just to fill the quiet of the empty cell. Shiro was starting to relate.

 

 _Oh no Shiro was starting to relate_.

 

“I have got to find somebody out here,” Shiro said to himself.

 

Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. The stars were the only thing around him, and they were millions of light years away. As beautiful as they were, he was starting to get sick of them.

 

He dozed off a few times, a surreal experience. It was kind of like sleeping on the rocket to Kerberos, but at least then he had walls, a floor, and a ceiling around him to keep him from drifting aimlessly. If he forgot to strap himself down, he’d wake up against the door a lot. It led to quite a few memorable moments when Matt or Sam came to get him for something.

 

Matt and Sam…he really hoped they were both okay. He knew Matt was with some resistance group now; hopefully that meant he was somewhere safe. And Sam…he hadn’t heard anything about the older man since they were first captured. He didn’t even know if Sam was still alive. He sincerely hoped he was.

 

As soon as he made it back to the others, he was going to make finding the Holts their next priority. They’d been ignoring that issue for too long, and it wasn’t fair to any of the Holts. He understood stopping an evil tyrant took precedence over two people, but it was time to reunite that family.

 

Hours passed. He still couldn’t get clear connection with Black. A warning light flashed on his visor, and his spirits sank. He had an hour to find literally anywhere before his life support ran out.

 

 _Aright, don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic._ He repeated the mantra to himself until he spotted something in the distance. It didn’t look like a star…it was too gray and dull for that.

 

And it was moving.

 

It was a ship.

 

Excitement coursed through him, quickly replaced by fear. What if it was a Galra ship? What if they saved him only to kill him? Or enslave him again?

 

It didn’t matter. He had half an hour of life support left, he couldn’t afford to let this go. For better or worse, he needed to get on that ship.

 

The ship seemed to spot him, and they moved much faster to him. He tried to keep himself calm, but that was a losing battle. Adrenaline pulsed through him. If he needed to fight, he had to be ready. Anything could be waiting for him on this ship.

 

It was a big tanker, like Rolo and Nyma’s ship. How ironic would it be if that was who was flying? Oh that would be awkward.

 

The airlock on the side of the ship opened, and he steered himself in. Someone stood on the other side of the doors, waiting for him, and shut the airlock once he was inside.

 

Gravity was weird. His body felt heavy and awkward after so long without it.

 

His visor gave him the all clear for the air around him, and he opened his helmet gratefully. He’d had less than ten minutes left. It was a closer call than he’d have liked.

 

The alien who’d opened the airlock for him opened the door to the rest of the ship. They were short and stocky, about Pidge’s height but Hunk’s girth, and they had the same color skin as Coran’s hair. They wore some kind of canvas vest and pants, but no shoes.

 

“So, who are you and why the goobla were you floating out in space?” they asked.

 

Well, it didn’t seem like he was on a Galra ship at least. Would it be safe to tell him he was a paladin of Voltron? He didn’t have any guarantee these creatures weren’t loyal to the empire, so it might not be a good idea.

 

“My name is Shiro. I—” He needed some kind of reason for being out there, and quick. “My ship was attacked by Galra. I think it was destroyed.” That was close enough to the truth, but vague enough to not make them suspicious.

 

The creature smiled, revealing rows of sharp teeth, like a shark. “An enemy of the empire, huh?” They asked.

 

Shiro hesitantly nodded.

 

The alien held out a hand. The tips of his fingers were suction cups, like an octopus, but Shiro took the offered help anyway.

 

“Well, any enemy of the Galra is a friend of ours. I’m Wirst, the first mate of this vessel.” He led Shiro out into the hall. “Captain will want to meet you, make sure you’re trustworthy and all that.”

 

“Are you part of the resistance?” Shiro asked. Maybe he got lucky and found the same group that had rescued Matt. That’d be an impressive stroke of luck.

 

Wirst snorted and shook his head. “Nah, we ain’t about to risk our lives in some losing battle like that. We just do what we please, taking what we need from places that have it.”

 

“What, like pirates?”

 

“Not _like_ pirates. We _are_ pirates.”

 

Oh, well then. This would be fun.

 

Xx

 

Maahox had agreed to Lotor’s proposition easily, grinning wickedly at the thought of the project. His mechanical eye had dilated in thought, and the man was already muttering plans to himself when Lotor ended the call.

 

Lotor leaned back in his chair, satisfied for now. It would take Maahox a few days at least before anything was ready, possibly less if he went without sleep like he sometimes did when working on an exciting project.

 

That was fine with Lotor. Maahox was a little eccentric and took a while to get used to, but the man was deadly efficient. Lotor had learned to handle his strange and twisted personality for the sake of the man’s work. It was a fair trade, he considered.

 

And if it meant he didn’t need to ask Haggar for anything, so much the better. 

 

It did leave him in a quandary though; as good as Maahox was, he still needed time to complete a project this big. What was Lotor supposed to do while he waited? Haggar made it clear he wasn’t to step in for his father as a temporary emperor, and all his princely duties had been left behind on the colony he governed.

 

He could check in with them, he supposed. But it had only been a few vargas; surely his advisor wouldn’t need help with anything just yet.

 

He propped his elbow on the armrest and rested his cheek against his closed fist. He tapped against the other armrest with his other hand.

 

His only job right now was to destroy Voltron by whatever means necessary. He’d try his plan with Maahox first, but he couldn’t send the man’s creations until they were completed.

 

He couldn’t send the creations until he had a location, either.

 

Lotor grinned. That was something that would keep him sufficiently occupied. He jumped out of the chair and hunted down a general.

 

“You there,” he called from down the hall.

 

The general turned, mouth half-open in a snarl until he realized who had addressed him. Then he immediately stiffened before throwing a fist over his chest. “Vrepit Sa, Prince Lotor.”

 

“Vreptit Sa,” Lotor returned. “What is your rank and station?”

 

“I’m the general of the ship’s defenses.” He was a well-built Galra, with druid enhancements to both of his legs that made him taller than most. The top of his head was hairless skin with large ears poking up on either side, but the bottom of his face was covered in deep purple fur, as if all the hair on his head migrated to the bottom half.

 

“Do you know anything about Voltron?”

 

“I’ve survived a few encounters with them,” the general said.

 

“Do you have any idea on how to track them?” Lotor asked.

 

The general crossed his arms. “That’s not my department.”

 

“And that wasn’t my question,” Lotor asked, crossing his own arms and pushing his shoulders back. The general was still taller than him, but Lotor was the prince and he was the one with all the power and rank in this conversation.

 

The general seemed to realize this, too. “Voltron has a unique energy source. As soon as it’s in our galaxy, we always know.”

 

“Interesting,” Lotor said, putting a hand to his chin. “Do you think it would be possible to create a tracker for this energy source?”

 

“We’ve tried, but the signal is too faint when Voltron has separated into the individual lions.”

 

“Figure out a way to make it work,” Lotor commanded. “You have three days.” He’d try and come up with another way to find Voltron in the meantime so he had a back-up, but by then Maahox’s project should be completed. He wanted to be able to strike as soon as possible.

 

“Yes, sir,” the general said, saluting again with his fist on his chest. “Vrepit Sa.”

 

“Vrepit Sa,” Lotor returned, turning and walking back the way he’d come.

 

He didn’t doubt the general’s ability to get it done. He’d make his team work night and day if he had to, for fear of Lotor’s wrath. He’d had quite the temper in his younger days, and many planets had suffered because of it. And while his rage had calmed over the centuries, the rumors of it had not. One glare could typically send the most obstinate man to do his bidding, whatever it may be. Lotor had no complaints about that, and even encouraged the rumors where he could. It worked to his favor, after all, and everyone expected the son of Zarkon to be just as ruthless and heartless as the emperor himself. He was just giving them what they wanted, really.

 

He stopped at a window, hands clasped behind his back, and looked out at the stars. So many little suns, so many little worlds. He’d be in charge of almost all of it, one day. And after that, he’d conquer whatever was left and rule it all.

 

Emperor Lotor had a nice ring to it, he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo who saw pirates coming? Show of hands. 
> 
> I'm really enjoying the chance to explore Lotor's character. It's like getting to insert my own OC but still have it be a canon character. 
> 
> Next chapter will be up on Thursday! See you then!


	4. We're Bonding!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance tries to get used to the Red lion. There are some...differences to work through.

“Clear your minds,” Coran instructed, watching the paladins from the viewing deck. They sat cross-legged in a circle on the training deck, mental headsets resting on each of their heads. “Focus on your lions. Feel their bonds with you.”

 

 _Easy for him to say_ , Lance thought bitterly. This exercise hadn’t been a walk in the park the first time they did it, but that still seemed easier compared to the current attempt. He and Keith were both struggling to focus on the correct lion, and he could feel his own frustration mirrored in the other paladin.

 

It didn’t help that Pidge and Hunk were sitting next to them, their lions formed in front of them and waiting for the rest of them to get it together. They were sending encouragement through the mental link, a fact Lance tried to find endearing but instead only found patronizing.

 

The surprise factor was Allura. Lance had assumed she’d form her lion and breeze through this with no problem, like the amazing princess she was. Instead, her lion kept flickering with whatever she was trying to keep hidden from the rest of them. It was a lot like Pidge the first time they’d tried this.

 

Should he say something about it? Clearly the princess was trying to hide something and that was messing with her focus, and it would be a lot better for everyone if she just came clean about it now. Was it his place to speak up? Should he let Keith deal with it? Had Keith even noticed?

 

“Just focus on your lions,” Coran instructed. “Let everything else fade away.”

 

Allura formed a solid image of the Blue lion.

 

Lance focused on the Red lion. It was fast, and agile, and fiercely protective. He could relate to that. He wanted to protect those he cared about too.

 

The Red lion flickered in front of him. He thought harder about fire and speed, pouring everything he had into maintaining this connection. The image solidified, a perfect copy of the metal beast.

 

Now they were just waiting on Keith.

 

He could feel the frustration pouring out of Keith, along with a hint of reluctance. _Suck it up, dude. You’re flying Black, so get it together._

 

A twinge of annoyance pulsed over the link, not just from Keith.

 

It worked, though. The Black lion flickered in front of Keith, taking another few moments before it solidified.

 

“Good, good,” Coran cheered. “Now, feel the bonds with your fellow paladins. You’re all united for the same cause. You’re all one being, one Voltron.”

 

Green and Yellow floated to the center easily. The other three were a little slower, and there was minor confusion as Lance and Keith mentally tried to go to their usual positions. Embarrassment trickled between them, but they moved their lions to their respective positions. The lions transformed, fitting together the way they always had. 

 

And then the Blue Lion flickered and dissolved. The surprise messed up the concentration of everyone else, and it all fell apart in less than a tick.

 

“Aw man,” Lance said, opening his eyes to look around at everyone. He noticed the sweat beaded on his face for the first time and cringed. Had he made himself sweaty by _thinking_ too hard? Oh man that was awful.

 

“What happened?” Hunk asked. “I thought we had it.”

 

“It was my fault, I apologize,” Allura said. “I had no idea the magnitude of mental strength needed to form Voltron.”

 

Lance wasn’t the only one raised an eyebrow at that.

 

“Seemed more like you were trying to keep something from us,” Keith stated. He wiped his left arm over his face, mopping up his own sweat.

 

Good, at least Lance wasn’t the only sweaty one.

 

“What? No, of course not,” Allura said.

 

“Come on, tell us,” Hunk said. “No secrets between paladins, remember?”

 

“Yeah, it’s a lot easier if you just come clean,” Pidge said. “Trust me.”

 

“I have nothing that I’m keeping from you,” Allura stated, crossing her arms.

 

“Really? ‘cause you seemed like you were trying really hard not to think about something before,” Lance said. “Which is usually a sign that you have something you don’t want us to know.”

 

“Then it should be obvious that I do not want you to know about whatever it is,” Allura said. She glared at Lance, a look that he was already immune to. If she really wanted to kick his ass, there was nothing he could do about it. This was just for show.

 

“Secrets aren’t good for the team,” Keith stated. “You don’t want to tell us now, fine. Lance I need to bond more with our--with the Red and Black lions anyway. But you should consider telling us by the end of the day.”

 

That was surprisingly reasonable, coming from Keith.

 

Allura grimaced. She didn’t like taking orders from anyone else. Not that Lance could blame her; he didn’t want to take orders from Keith either. What did Keith know, anyway?

 

Blue sent calming thoughts through his mind, taking the anger out of him before it could even build. Now wasn’t the time to fight.

 

 _Thanks, Blue_.

 

It took him ten ticks to realize this was the wrong lion.

 

_Wait, shouldn’t you be telling Allura to calm down and just tell us whatever’s on her mind?_

 

A fiercely protective growl answered him, making Lance feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Blue was against the switch as must as the rest of them and didn’t want to give Lance up. Lance also got the impression Blue wasn’t the biggest fan of Allura, but she was trying to be cooperative for everyone else’s sakes. Lance needed to do the same.

 

He sighed and rested his elbows on his knees, chin in his hands. “I’m all for lion bonding time.”

 

“And while you guys do that, Pidge and I will help Coran and Slav with repairs to the castle,” Hunk said.

 

Pidge nodded.

 

“Alright. We’ll try this again after lunch, I guess,” Keith said, rubbing his eyes.

 

Was it Lance’s imagination, or was the atmosphere strangely tense? It felt like he was walking on eggshells. Hunk and Pidge zipped out of the room pretty quickly, and Lance had the same urge. Allura didn’t say anything or look at him or Keith before hurrying out.

 

Keith hadn’t even gotten to his feet yet.

 

Lance pulled the headset off and stepped over to him, reaching a hand down.

 

Keith blinked at it before accepting the hand up.

 

“You okay?” Lance asked.

 

“Just tired,” Keith said. “I’ll see you at lunch.” He walked out too, hesitating once at the doorway like he was about to say something, but then changing his mind and walking out.

 

“Let the isolated bonding time begin,” Lance said, shoulders slumping forward. He dragged his feet on the way to the Red lion hanger.

 

The hanger felt wrong. Each one was usually backlit with the color of the lion, and he was used to Blue’s calming blue. All the red around him right now, it felt angry, violent. Dangerous.

 

He looked up at the lion. It was smaller than Blue, which he’d always known but it was different to see that up close. It also didn’t greet him with warmth and belonging like he was used to. He felt like an intruder.

 

That was probably not good if they were going to make this whole Voltron thing work.

 

“Alright, Red. You and me need to bond,” Lance said. “So. Um. Could you let me in?”

 

For several long ticks, nothing happened. Then Red’s head lowered ever so slowly and lowered the ramp.

 

Lance steeled himself and went in. He still felt like an intruder, walking through the red cockpit and sitting in the pilot’s chair. He wrapped his hands around the controls, trying to imagine himself using them in a battle.

 

“You think the others would completely freak out if we went for a test flight right now?” Lance joked. Intruder he may be, but he couldn’t deny his curiosity at how differently the Red lion would fly.

 

He felt a scoff in the back of his mind, something like _You’re not ready for that yet_.

 

“Excuse you, I am an excellent pilot. I’m so much better than Keith, don’t believe whatever he’s told you about me.”

 

She didn’t even spare him a growl as she forced the chair back and ejected him from the cockpit.

 

He let out a very manly yelp as he fell to the floor.

 

Note to self: getting ejected while in space was scary but kind of fun. Getting ejected where gravity actually means something was not.

 

He groaned and unfolded himself from the crumpled heap he’d landed in, lying flat on his back and looking up at the underside of Red’s jaw.

 

“Okay, I can see how I might have deserved that,” Lance admitted. Red had proven to be fiercely protective of Keith in the past. It would make sense she didn’t take kindly to him insulting her preferred paladin. It did put him in a bit of a predicament. “What’s so great about him anyway?”

 

He was always running headfirst into danger. He never considered the others, and he was always off by himself thinking he was better than the others.

 

Red growled so loudly the floor vibrated beneath him.

 

Lance sighed and shut his eyes. “I’m not going to gush about him just to be your pilot. The guy’s a jerk.”

 

Red didn’t bother responding at all.

 

Lance rubbed his hands over his face. So much for bonding. This was as bad as spending quality time with Keith.

 

Except when it came down to it, he and Keith made a really good team. They’d proven that over and over. But they usually only worked that well when the pressure was on and it was do or die.

 

The idea of waiting that long to work up a solid bond with Red wasn’t appealing. He didn’t think the others would appreciate it, either.

 

Maybe if he just didn’t think about Keith. He could find something else to bond with Red over.

 

He pushed himself to his feet. “Alright. No insulting mullet-man, I can do that. Will you let me back in now?”

 

Red silently towered over him, unmoving. Their bond wasn’t strong enough for Lance to still feel Red’s presence in the back of his mind. Actually, he still felt Blue trying to push him forward.

 

 _Thanks, Blue._ At least the lions were making it clear they weren’t going to abandon their preferred paladins. He didn’t know what he would do if he lost Blue. Her presence had helped him adjust to this whole Defender of the Universe thing.

 

“C’mon, Red,” Lance said. “We have to work together. I know neither of us are happy about this.”

 

It took a few minutes; Lance was ready to start banging his head against Red’s foreleg. But, eventually, Red did lower her head again.

 

“There we go,” Lance said, charging up the ramp before she could change her mind. He sat in the pilot’s chair once again.

 

It felt like Red’s eyes followed him, judging him. It was like he’d walked into the kitchen where his mama was cooking when he knew he’d done something wrong, and he was waiting for her to start yelling at him.

 

“Great, now I feel like you’re my mother,” Lance muttered.

 

A questioning purr echoed in his mind.

 

He lay back in the chair with a fond smile. “You just seem like you won’t let me get away with anything either.” He gave a laugh. “I punched my brother once, gave him a black eye. I was so terrified to face my mama, I almost ran away from home.”

 

His brother ratted him out before he had the chance, and his mother found him hiding in the backyard. She was the type of woman who didn’t take any shit from anybody, not even her own kids. Lance had been grounded for two weeks.

 

He felt the judgement surveying him lesson slightly. “You like family stories, huh?”

 

Red gave him an image of the five lions together.

 

“It reminds you of your family,” Lance said softly. He ran his hand over the armrest. “I can understand that.”

 

She gave him an image of jumping between a blast and the Green lion, protecting her sister.

 

“You’d do anything for them.” Yeah, he could definitely understand that. “Maybe we’ll get along better than we thought.”

 

The judgement faded completely. Red was willing to give him a fair chance now.

 

Lance smiled. He already felt more connected to her, and he’d barely been down here for fifteen minutes.

 

“We rock at this. But I don’t know what else to talk about now, and you’ve got me thinking about my family, so I hope you’re ready for all my great childhood memories.”

 

He spent the rest of the morning relating adventure after adventure and describing each of his family members to Red. He hadn’t even done this with Blue yet, but it felt good to talk about them. It wasn’t a bad way to spend the morning.

 

On the way to lunch, he bumped into Allura in the hallway, standing in front of an airlock with her arms crossed.

 

“Well, fancy meeting you here,” Lance said.

 

She tore her gaze away from the windows. “Oh, hello, Lance.”

 

“What are you doing out here?” And so close to an airlock that could choose to open at any time and suck you into space.

 

…So he might be harboring a healthy fear of automatic death doors. He was almost ejected into space. Sue him.

 

“They’re busy on repairs in the control room, and I wanted to look out at the stars.”

 

Okay, fair, but Lance still had more questions.

 

“Well, it’s time for lunch, isn’t it?” Allura asked, turning a bright smile to Lance.

 

Lance felt his insides melt. He could stare at that smile all day. “Yeah,” he drew out, brain momentarily on vacation.

 

Allura’s smile faded and she glanced around.

 

Lance’s brain took the opportunity to reboot itself. “I mean, yes, you’re right, it is lunch time!” Lance said. “Would the lovely lady care for an escort?” He offered his arm to her in a dramatic bow he’d seen on TV a lot.

 

Allura sighed, rolled her eyes, and shook her head, but she took his arm all the same and they started walking down the hall.

 

“So…you seem like you have a lot on your mind,” Lance said. “I’m a great listener if you need to vent to someone.”

 

“Of course I have a lot on my mind,” Allura said. “There are still countless Galra controlled planets that need Voltron, which we can’t even form because we’re trying to force connections with the wrong lions, and Shiro is lost Grinkok knows where and I have the same—” She froze and slapped a hand over her mouth.

 

Lance stopped walking and looked back at her. It was the first time he’d ever seen anything resembling fear in her eyes. “You have the same what?”

 

She looked away, letting go of his arm and crossing her arms tightly across her stomach. “It’s nothing. Please forget I mentioned anything.”

 

“This is that secret you didn’t want to tell us this morning, isn’t it?” Lance asked.

 

Her silence was answer enough.

 

“You know, whatever it is, we’re not going to think any less of you,” Lance said. “I mean we handled Keith being part Galra pretty well, whatever you’re hiding can’t be anything as bad as that.”

 

“You’d be surprised,” she muttered.

 

Lance raised a brow. “Are you about to tell me you’re related to Zarkon somehow? Oh Quiznak you are. Is he like your grandfather or something? How would that even work?” He was grossing himself out just thinking about the implications.

 

“No,” Allura said firmly, wrinkling her nose in disgust. “I am not Galra. But apparently the empire wasn’t completely the Galra’s doing.”

 

“What do you mean?” Lance asked.

 

She sighed and turned away from him slightly. “I met an Altean aboard the command ship in the last battle.”

 

Lance was pretty sure his eyebrows had disappeared into his hairline. “What? There are more Alteans out there? That’s great, though! You and Coran aren’t the last two!”

 

“It would be better if we were,” Allura spat.

 

Lance blinked. “I don’t follow.”

 

Allura shut her eyes and took a deep breath, tilting her head down to the floor. “That witch that corrupted the wormhole before, the one who has helped Zarkon conquer the universe for so long…she’s Altean.”

 

“Seriously?” That was awful. They finally get to meet another Altean, and she was evil. Worse than evil. She was like evil’s mother or something, the source of all evil in the first place. What a disappointment.

 

“Of course I’m serious,” Allura said angrily.

 

“Huh? Oh, no, that’s an expression of disbelief on Earth,” Lance explained quickly. “Like ‘that is unreal and I don’t want to believe it’s true’ kind of thing.”

 

“Well, I certainly don’t want to believe it, but I saw it with my own eyes,” Allura said. She tightened her arms around herself, making herself look smaller.

 

Lance didn’t think before hugging her. She stiffened in his embrace, but she didn’t push him away. “I’m sorry. That’s really awful.”

 

She leaned her forehead against his shoulder. “I just…Alteans have always believed in peace and unity. How could one of our own have been the cause of so much pain and destruction?”

 

“I don’t know,” Lance said. “Guess she was just the black sheep of your world.”

 

“The what?” Allura asked, looking up at him in confusion.

 

“Sorry, Earth expression,” he said. “I meant she was just…different from everyone else. There’s no reason for it, she just is.”

 

“Ah,” Allura said, settling her forehead on Lance’s shoulder again. “I suppose it doesn’t really matter. Like it or not, one of enemies is Altean.”

 

“Sounds like,” Lance said.

 

She sighed and finally pulled away from him. “And I suppose I owe Keith another apology for how I treated him. It appears both our races are to blame.”

 

There’s _the damn guilt complex everyone on this ship has_ , Lance thought. “He already forgave you, you know.”

 

“Perhaps. But I have not forgiven myself, yet,” Allura said.

 

Lance shrugged. “Well, you needed to tell everyone the big secret anyway, so…”

 

She nodded. “I’ll tell them all during lunch. Do you think…do you think they’ll understand?”

 

“Princess, I know they will,” Lance said.

 

She smiled at him, and his insides went all gooey again. “Thank you, Lance.”

 

“Anytime,” Lance said, slinging an arm around her shoulders and steering them towards the dining hall. “I’m always happy to help beautiful women.”

 

Allura rolled her eyes and shrugged his arm off.

 

The revelation was a surprise, and truthfully Lance hadn’t fully processed what it meant. But as they walked on in silence different ideas kept racing through his head.

 

“So if that witch has magic, does that mean all Alteans do? Can you do crazy space-magic like that?”

 

She took a deep breath. “Yes, actually.”

 

His eyes nearly burst out of his head. “No way! That’s so cool! Why didn’t you tell us?”

 

She gave him a hopeless look. “I didn’t know about it until the other quintent, when I fought her. She threw magic at me, and I was able to throw it back. I’ve never done that before.” Her arms were back around her stomach, and she’d looked away from Lance.

 

“No biggie,” Lance said. “We’ll help you practice!”

 

She looked back at him quickly. “It…it doesn’t bother you?”

 

“We already fly giant magical lions. You being able to do magic on your own isn’t that much of a stretch,” he shrugged.

 

She shook her head, laughing slightly. “I’m relieved. I thought…I’ve felt so different from all of you since finding out. I thought telling you all would change how you see me.”

 

“Nah,” Lance said. “You’re already a badass space princess. Now you’re just a magical badass space princess.”

 

Her smile brightened a little. “Thank you again, Lance. I don’t know why I was so worried about all of this.”

 

“You just had your entire perception of the universe flipped on its head,” Lance said. “A little worry is a natural response.”

 

She nodded.

 

Lance mentally fist-pumped. He’d managed to cheer the princess up and hug her, for, like, a solid minute. And he’d been the first person she confided in about all this. He counted that as a major win. Nothing else that happened today would ruin his good mood, he decided. _Nothing_.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura's space magic isn't as easy as she'd thought it would be.

The revelation about her magic powers went over well with the other paladins. None of them were angry or scared of her. Pidge and Hunk kept asking questions, most of which she didn’t have answers for. But unbridled curiosity was better than fear and mistrust.

 

Allura should have trusted in her paladins better. No, she should have trusted her _teammates_ better.

 

“Can you show us some stuff after lunch?” Pidge asked. “I want to see it!”

 

“Yeah, me too!” Hunk said. “It’ll be totally awesome!”

 

She couldn’t deny she needed the practice; she hadn’t used the magic at all since the fight with Haggar, and it was definitely something that would come in handy.

 

“Alright,” she agreed. She turned towards Keith to see if he had any objections. He’d said they would try the mind-meld exercise again after lunch.

 

He shrugged. “Fine by me.” He fed a spoonful of goo to the mice.

 

Allura frowned. He’d hardly eaten breakfast either, and the bags under his eyes indicated a poor night’s sleep. Maybe she needed to talk to him about more than just a second apology.

 

“So how does it work?” Hunk asked, pulling her out of her thoughts and back to the conversation. “Like do you just think about it? Is it like when you open wormholes?”

 

“It’s hard to say,” Allura admitted. “I’ve only done it the one time in the heat of battle, so I wasn’t really paying attention.”

 

“Fascinating,” Pidge said, playing with her glasses. “Was magic common among Alteans before?”

 

“Oh, yes,” Allura said. She wished Coran were here; his explanation would have been much better, but he and Slav were still working on the engine room. “It used to be very common. My father had several mages imbue the lions with magic while they were being built; it’s why they’re sentient.”

 

The looks of wonder and amazement on all their faces were incredible. She’d never tire of their expressions.

 

“So it’s not just attack magic?” Lance asked. “Like you could do protection spells or something?”

 

She nodded. “Yes, mages used to do all sorts of things like that.”

 

“So cool,” Pidge said.

 

Allura smiled. It really didn’t take much to please them.

 

“Is everyone done eating? Can we go now?” Hunk asked.

 

Allura and Keith were the only ones who still had anything on their plate. She scarfed down the rest of hers; he pushed his towards the mice.

 

“Let’s go.” Allura pushed her chair back.

 

The others cheered and practically ran to the training deck. Keith walked next to her, but she didn’t know if it was because he wasn’t as excited as the others or because he thought that was Shiro would do.

 

Regardless, it gave her the chance to try and talk to him. “Are you alright?”

 

He looked up in surprise. “Me? I’m fine.”

 

“I noticed you haven’t eaten much today,” Allura stated. “A paladin has to keep his strength up, you know.”

 

He looked away at the wall next to him. “I haven’t been that hungry.”

 

She tried to peer down at his face, but he shifted so his hair blocked her view. “You know, even Shiro needed to talk to someone once in a while.”

 

His shoulders tensed, but he didn’t look at her. “What about you? How are you handling Haggar being an Altean?”

 

Sighing, Allura straightened and clasped her hands behind her back as they walked. “Truthfully it bothers me a lot. I simply cannot understand how someone who was brought up in the foundations of peace and unity could become something so corrupted.”

 

Keith finally glanced at her.

 

She looked over at him. “But seeing that someone has, it’s made me extra sorry for how I treated you when you told us about your heritage.”

 

He tensed again, and she put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him to a stop.

 

“I know I said I was sorry for how I acted before, but I want to say it again. I never should have doubted your loyalty to the team and to our cause.”

 

“I appreciate that, but I already forgave you. I understand where you’re coming from. The Galra took everything from you.”

 

“But that did not mean you would do the same,” Allura said. “After all, if there are evil Alteans, then there must be good Galra. I will try to remember that from now on.”

 

He gave a small smile and nodded. “Thank you.”

 

“Hey slow pokes! Come on!” Lance yelled from down the hall.

 

Allura rolled her eyes. “I guess we better not keep them waiting.” They both started walking again, a little faster than before.

 

“Hunk even gave up seconds for this,” Keith joked.

 

She giggled. “Is magic truly so interesting to you all?”

 

“It doesn’t exist on Earth,” Keith explained. “But it’s something everyone fantasizes about. We all want magic to be real, so it’s kind of surreal to think that somewhere in the universe it does. And we get to actually see it.”

 

She could be wrong, but she thought she detected a hint of excitement in his voice.

 

Well, if nothing else this would at least provide an opportunity for them all to bond as a team.

 

Pidge, Hunk, and Lance were waiting impatiently on the training deck. “Finally!” Pidge exclaimed.

 

“What are you going to do first?” Hunk asked.

 

“Shoot out some magic lightning?” Lance suggested, miming a blaster with each of his hands. “Oh, or teleport? Or float?”

 

Floating did seem to be the easiest of the three, Allura mused. And the least likely to backfire and hurt someone. “I’ll start with floating and work my way up from there.”

 

Lance _beamed_ , puffing out his chest in pride at having his suggestions taken seriously. Usually his suggestions were nothing more than jokes, and Allura had made a habit of tuning Lance out when he got started like that. But based on his reaction now, maybe he wasn’t trying to be as comedic as she’d always assumed. She’d have to try and remember that.

 

The others took several steps back when she closed her eyes. It was hard trying to mentally dig down and find that well of power. It had come so naturally in the fight, but she’d been pumped up on adrenaline. She had no clue how she’d done it. She just…had.

 

“Come on, Princess, you can do it!” Hunk cheered, prompting the others to start cheering for her as well.

 

The encouragement was sweet, but incredibly distracting. “I could use a little quiet,” she ground out.

 

Their cheering stopped immediately. She did not want to open her eyes and see their no doubt disappointed faces.

 

She took a deep breath and centered herself, trying to get back into her earlier headspace. It should be as easy as opening a wormhole, so why was she finding it so difficult?

 

Maybe she was thinking about it too hard. Maybe she just had to trust that it would happen.

 

 _Alright then. UP!_  

 

A dial turned inside her, a familiar feeling of power coursing through her body. She grinned when her feet lifted off the floor. There. That hadn’t been so hard---

 

She was still rising. Quickly.

 

“Allura?” Pidge called, her voice sounding entirely too far away.

 

Allura opened her eyes just in time to crash into the ceiling.

 

“Are you okay?” Keith asked.

 

Other than the crippling embarrassment she’d just caused herself she was fine. “Yes, I’m alright,” she sighed. Perhaps her new magic would be a little harder to control than she’d thought.

 

“Are you going to come down?” Lance asked.

 

She blinked. She wasn’t trying to stay up here. She wasn’t even actively thinking about her magic right now. By that logic, she should have already fallen.

 

“Oh Quiznak,” she muttered. Her magic would be very difficult to control after all.

 

“You’re stuck up there, aren’t you?” Keith asked, grinning madly and trying to hide it behind his hand.

 

He was lucky she couldn’t smack it off his face.

 

She crossed her arms and looked away from them. “I may be in need of some assistance.”

 

“What exactly do you want us to do?” Pidge asked. “Get our jetpacks and fly up to you?”

 

“But if she’s magically keeping herself up there, that might not even work,” Hunk pointed out.

 

“Sorry, Princess,” Lance said, not looking sorry at all. “You’re going to have to figure out your magic to get down.”

 

She huffed. It was one of those times she did not want to hear what she already knew and was trying to deny.  

 

“Just try and turn off your magic!” Hunk suggested.

 

“I’m not even using it right now!” Allura protested. She sounded like a child again. That was unacceptable. She needed to get a handle on herself.

 

She took a deep breath and shut her eyes again, tapping into that well of power once more.

 

Turns out, getting down is a lot easier than going up. All she has to do is consciously turn off her power and let gravity do the rest.

 

Pity she didn’t know that was all it took before she was suddenly shrieking and free-falling.

 

“Oh Quiznak!” Pidge yelled.

 

“Catch her!” Keith shouted.

 

“I got her!” Hunk called.

 

She landed in his arms, at least, but the force of the fall sent him to the floor. They both lay unmoving and groaning while the other three fussed over them.

 

“Holy Quiznak are you guys okay?” Lance asked.

 

“Should I tell Coran to get some healing pods ready?” Keith asked. They helped Allura to her feet and then Lance held her steady while Keith and Pidge helped Hunk sit up.

 

“You okay, Princess?” Hunk asked. He rubbed the back of his head.

 

“Yes, I’m alright.” She was not trembling. She wasn’t. “What about you?”

 

“I think I’m okay,” Hunk replied.

 

“And I think we’re done with that for today,” Keith said.

 

Allura couldn’t agree more. “There should be some books in the library about old Altean magic. I’ll read up on it more before I try again.”

 

Keith nodded gratefully. “Please.”

 

“We can help you dig through them,” Hunk offered.

 

“Thank you, but the books will be in Altean.”

 

Their faces all fell.

 

“Well, why don’t you go do that then?” Keith suggested. “The rest of us will get some sparring in for a little bit.”

 

“Aw man, are you serious?” Lance whined.

 

“Not for long,” Keith said. “Just an hour or so. I need to spend more time with Black, and I know Pidge and Hunk were working on some projects.”

 

The two in question nodded. Lance groaned but relented.

 

Allura nodded and left them to it while she went to go research. She should spar with them all soon so they get used to working together, but maybe it was better to take things slowly. Too many changes all at once couldn’t be good for them. It would feel too much like they were permanently replacing Shiro.

 

 _I do hope you’re alright, Shiro_ , Allura thought. _We’ll find you, I swear._ Maybe there was an old tracking spell she could use to find him.

 

That thought in mind, her walking turned into running.

 

Xx

 

Released from Keith’s Sparring 101, Pidge and Hunk settled in her workshop with some snacks and Space coffee, prepared to spend several hours searching through every Galra database they could get their hands on.

 

Something somewhere had to have reports about what happened during the battle. And maybe, just maybe, there would be information on what had happened to Shiro. It would be terrible if he’d been captured again, but at least they’d know where to look. They could find him if he was locked up.

 

But if he was just floating through space…well then he only had so much time for them to find him. And they had no way to do that other than wandering around and hoping for the best. Shiro was a chosen paladin of Voltron though, chosen by fate itself or whatever. He couldn’t die so easily. Right?

 

Pidge refused to believe so, anyway. She would find Shiro and her family if it was the last thing she did.

 

“Oh, hey, I got into…something,” Hunk said. He was working off of an Altean tablet. It had taken a while to reprogram the thing with a more human-friendly interface, but between the two geniuses they’d figured something out.

 

“What is it?” Pidge asked.

 

“Um…some kind of log, I think. It’s set up to look like one, anyway. Hang on, the translator is still iffy on this thing…” Hunk typed away at a homemade keyboard. The differences in the written language of Altean versus English were vast, to the point that trying to repurpose one of their keyboards was more work than making one of his own.

 

Pidge linked into a file of her own and sent out her hacking code. A few ticks later and she was in, rows of Galra rolling across her screen. A second translating window popped up, providing the English she could actually read. It was just a list of duties for the cleaning robots. She closed out of it.

 

“Alright, there we go, now the translator’s…what the Quiznak? I still have no idea what this says,” Hunk said. “What’s Hinxuq with Upscloosh supposed to mean?”

 

“Is it possible they code their logs?” Pidge asked.

 

“That would make sense,” Hunk said. “They seem like the type to be paranoid about people hacking their databases to read private files.”

 

They both glanced down at their screens, thinking _With good reason_.

 

“Let me see?” Pidge asked, shifting her seat so she was next to Hunk and leaning over his screen. Every line was a garbled mess of unfamiliar words, even though the translator appeared to be functioning perfectly. “I don’t understand why it’s not…oh, wait. Gaznip is a word for day, like Monday or Tuesday.”

 

“Okay, okay, so it’s like a chore list maybe? Like this day you enslave this planet, and then this day go conquer that one?”

 

“Maybe…nouns are the big issue with these translators, since there aren’t always direct translations for a lot of things out here, so if they were planet names that would make sense.” It would be huge if they had a list like this, though. They could arrive at planets before the Galra and protect them.

 

“Wait, that says sauce,” Hunk said, pointing to a line farther down the screen. “I don’t think they’re planet names. I think its food. I think I found their menu.”

 

Pidge slowly looked up at him.

 

He laughed uneasily and offered a shaky smile. “I’ll, um, keep looking.”

 

“You do that.” She moved back to her original spot.

 

“It is kind of surprising that they have some kind of menu, you know?” Hunk rambled. He tended to do that when they were working.

 

Pidge had learned back in the Garrison how to tune most of it out, barely keeping one ear open in case he said anything important.

 

“Like, I would have thought they’d just have Galra show up and accept whatever they have. I wouldn’t expect them to actually tell them what they have. Or maybe it’s not for the soldiers? Maybe it’s for the cooks? Oh, that would make sense. They probably only have certain ingredients depending on supply runs, so the chefs are limited to what they’re expected to get in and when.”

 

Pidge’s fingers paused over her keyboard. “Okay, that’s slightly useful information. But that’s not the kind of information we want right now. We’re trying to find Shiro, remember?”

 

“Yeah, I know,” Hunk said, voice getting quiet. “Do you think he’s okay?”

 

“He’s Shiro.”

 

“But we still have no idea if he’s okay. All we know is he’s alive, somehow. That doesn’t mean he’s not hurt, or getting tortured.”

 

“Hunk, you’re gonna make things worse if you worry about it.” Her own stomach twisted at the thought of their leader in pain, but she couldn’t focus on that. If she wanted to prevent it, she needed to focus and find him.

 

“How can you not worry about it? He could be in serious trouble, and we don’t even know what galaxy to start in.”

 

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Pidge said, forcing patience. He wasn’t as used to this unknown dread as she was. She’d had weeks to get used to it when thinking about her family. She knew how to work around it.

 

“I know but-”

 

“Hunk! The only thing we can do to help Shiro _right this second_ is try and find him. We’ll worry about what state he’s in then.”

 

He looked at her for a moment and nodded before looking back at his tablet.

 

She sighed and shook her head, getting back to her own work. They had to have a log of the battle somewhere. A big empire like that would only survive if things like that were documented. It existed somewhere, and she was going to find it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo look at all that bonding! 
> 
> I'm going to try and have the next chapter up probably on Thursday again. 
> 
> Let me know what you think! I thrive on feedback and that means you get chapters faster!


	6. Shiro the Dish Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's just say the job the pirates give Shiro is a little beneath his status.

The pirate’s ship was nothing like how Shiro would have expected a space pirate ship to be. Most of the crew seemed jovial enough, and not like they were about to slit your throat and rob your corpse. The ship itself seemed like it was barely in working order. Pipes ran exposed against the ceiling, steam escaping from cracks in the metal. A few panels against the walls were missing. Only every other light worked.

 

The bridge was where most of the aliens were. None of them were the same species as Wirst, which Shiro found interesting. He drank in the scene before coming to a stop in front of the captain.

 

They looked like some sort of bird, with a beige beak and deep red feathers all over. Their feet were scaled talons, and their wings were an extra set of appendages coming out of their backs, leaving them with human like arms that only had three fingers.

 

The Captain sized Shiro up. “Well, Wirst?”

 

“Part of the Galra resistance,” Wirst replied. “Ship got blown up in a fight.”

 

One beady purple eye widened. “And you were lucky enough to survive unscathed.”

 

Shiro gave a nervous laugh and tried to smile. “I ejected before the blast.”

 

“Uh-huh. Well I suppose it doesn’t really matter. You can’t exactly report us to anybody,” the captain said. Shiro was pretty sure she sounded female.

 

“Yeah, not so much,” Shiro agreed. “Um, is there any chance you could drop me off somewhere?”

 

“That depends on where you want to be dropped off,” the Captain said.

 

“Uh, well, I don’t actually know where they are right now,” Shiro explained. “My friends are on another ship, and I need to get back to them.”

 

“I have no reason to go traipsing through the galaxies looking for one measly ship,” the Captain stated.

 

Shiro’s spirits sank. He understood, of course, but it made his life difficult. “Could we send a message then and coordinate a drop off?”

 

The captain crossed her arms over her chest. “I still don’t see what’s in it for my crew. What’s the difference between sending you somewhere and just throwing you back out into space?”

 

She wanted some kind of reward, Shiro realized. Of course she did, she was a pirate. That was what they did.

 

Which means he should definitely keep his status as the black paladin a secret. They would just turn him in for the reward. Well, good to know.

 

He didn’t have any money to offer them, and he couldn’t promise Allura would be able to pay them on his return either. After ten thousand years, any Altean currency still lying around probably wasn’t worth much.

 

“You’re not making a persuasive case,” the Captain said.

 

“I can work,” Shiro said. “I’ll work for my passage.” It was the only thing he had.

 

“That’s agreeable,” the Captain said. “Wirst, take him down to Lers. He’s been complaining about needing an assistant for ages.”

 

“Aye, Captain,” Wirst said. He threw up a sloppy salute and led Shiro back out of the bridge. “Not bad. Most worthless passengers just get killed on the spot.”

 

“Oh, really?” Shiro asked, pleasant smile plastered on his face while he internally screamed. What was wrong with these people?

 

“Yeah. Captain’s got a soft spot for rebels. She won’t join the fight herself, but anyone who can fight against those monsters is alright with her.”

 

“You know, the more people fighting Zarkon, the better chance they have of winning,” Shiro said. He debated telling Wirst that Zarkon might already be dead, anyway, but he couldn’t actually confirm that. It was probably better not to advertise that in case he was wrong. Besides, they’d want to know how he knew that, and it would probably lead to him mentioning Voltron and them turning him over for a reward.

 

Wirst shrugged. “Things aren’t too bad for us. We’re content with life as it is.”

 

“What about the millions of people who aren’t?” Shiro demanded.

 

“That’s what people like you are for,” Wirst said.

 

Shiro glared at him from the corner of his eye. Unbelievable. How heartless did you have to be to not care that other people were hurting?

 

“Anyway, here’s the galley!” Wirst announced, leading Shiro into the kitchen. Only one other creature was in there, an overgrown dog-lizard hybrid with a stained apron. “Hey Lers!”

 

The hybrid looked up and over at Wirst.

 

“Finally got you an assistant.” Wirst pushed Shiro forward. “This is Shiro. He’s part of the resistance but got his ship blown up. He’ll be staying with us and working for his passage. Make sure he earns his keep.”

 

Lers grinned. “It would be my pleasure.”

 

Wirst patted Shiro on the back and then turned and left. The door sliding shut behind him felt like a cage being locked.

 

Lers wiped his paws on his gray apron and lumbered over to Shiro. He stood a foot taller, and he smelled like McDonalds.

 

“So, Shiro,” Lers said. “You ever worked in a kitchen before?”

 

“Uh…not exactly.” Shiro was beginning to wonder what he’d gotten himself into.

 

Lers nodded, like Shiro had just proven what he’d already known. “Then I’ll keep you on cleaning duty for now. Start with the pile there.” He gestured to the back corner where a stack of dishes nearly reached the ceiling.

 

Shiro blinked at it. He didn’t recognize any of the alien tech around it; he didn’t even know how to wash the impressive pile of dishes.

 

“Well? Get to it,” Lers said, crossing his arms and watching Shiro.

 

“Right, right,” Shiro said. He took a few steps forward, hoping to see something that would jump out at him as an alien dishwasher. Seeing none, he paused and turned back. “Would you mind showing me?”

 

One eye widened. “You telling me you never washed a dish before?”

 

“I just want to make sure I follow your standards,” Shiro said quickly. He prided himself on the plausible cover.

 

Lers laughed. “Yeah, okay. Getting your green ass over here.”

 

Shiro joined him by the dishes. Lers walked him through a round of washing, opening up the bare spot of counter and placing some dishes inside. Sliding the panel on the counter closed again, he pushed a button. Something that sounded like nails on a chalkboard came from inside the counter, and Shiro cringed, twisting his face like he’d just eaten a lemon.

 

He thought he’d finally escaped that sound when he left public school; the Garrison didn’t use anything so primitive as chalk. But now, here it was, supposedly cleaning dishes.

 

He was going to have to claw his ears off if he needed to hear this more than once a day.

 

The sound abruptly cut off, and Lers opened the panel back up. Shiro half expected the dishes to be a pile of shattered remains, but Lers pulled out solid dishes.   


“You can just put the clean dishes on this rack here; we’ll go through ‘em quick enough,” Lers said. “Cookware goes in the storage under the island or hands from the hooks.”

 

Shiro nodded; it seemed simple enough. “Does it always sound like that?”

 

“Yep.” Lers clapped his shoulder. “Have fun.”

 

That would be the exact opposite of what Shiro was about to do, but his options were pretty limited here. He either accepted this, or he got flung back out into space and prayed he’d get lucky.

 

Somehow, he doubted he’d find any other sanctuary.

 

He glared at the hidden machine.

 

“I don’t hear dish cleaning,” Lers called.

 

Sighing, Shiro filled the machine back up and slid the panel over it. He flicked the button and winced as it roared to life. The only blessing of this job was that the machine worked quickly. In only a minute it was done, and Shiro moved on to putting everything away. With his lack of knowledge about the kitchen, this step took a few more minutes. But then it was back to the machine and the torturous sound.

 

 _This is only temporary,_ Shiro thought to himself, hands resting on his helmet over his ears while the machine whirred. _Just until I find the others. Just until then_. He tried not to think how long that would take.

 

His best bet would be finding his own way to travel and stocking up on supplies, and then traveling around searching for news. Voltron was a pretty big deal; news of it would have to spread quickly. It wouldn’t be hard to follow their movements.

 

Except that was all he’d be able to do. With that plan, he’d always be one or two steps behind. He frowned and switched out the load, losing himself in thought again as the machine droned on. He needed to figure out a way to predict where Voltron would be, or better yet just call them somehow. Maybe if he could find a way back to the Olkari or Arus he could send out a message, make the team come to him. That seemed like the fastest way to reunite with them. Now he just needed a pod of his own.

 

The pirates weren’t likely to give him one, and he didn’t want to steal it. That might end up being his only option though.

 

He’d give it a few days, so they didn’t think him totally ungrateful. And by then, maybe he’d even hear about a lead on Voltron. Or maybe he’d get through to Black and she could come get him. That would be even better.

 

He attempted to reach out for her while waiting for the machine, but he couldn’t concentrate enough with its shrill shrieking and the headache it was giving him. At least he was almost done; a few more loads should finish off the stack.

 

Once the dishes were all done, he did a little bit of cooking with Lers and helped serve the meal. It wasn’t as good as Hunk’s cooking, but it was more edible than Coran’s concoctions so he didn’t complain. After dinner he helped clean up, and then Lers took him to the dormitories.

 

The rooms were about as big as his room on the castle-ship, but instead of just one bunk eight were crammed in. There weren’t many spots open, but Lers found him a bunk in one of the less desirable rooms of the ship. It was next to the engine, and you could barely hear yourself think in there. Lers also hinted that his new roommates were less than desirable, and judging by the smell cloying the air Shiro had a few guesses why.

 

 _It’s only temporary_ , he reminded himself. Some of the Galra prison cells had been this bad, and he hadn’t even had a bed then. This was already better. _Just deal with it for a few days until you figure out a way home._

 

He stretched out on his bunk, taking his helmet off for the first time. His head felt sweaty and gross. He’d have to figure out bathing tomorrow, and possibly a change of clothes. He’d take the armor off for tonight and stay in the black Kevlar underneath while he slept, but ideally he’d prefer to have something more comfortable, at least to sleep in. Keeping his uniform on the rest of the time was probably a good idea. He was still on board a pirate ship, after all.

 

Stashing the white armor next to the wall, he let himself doze off until his roommates came in. Their scent announced them before the door slid open, an overpowering odor that smelled sort of like lemons. Not the worst thing in the world. He could deal with it.

 

The roommates didn’t pay him any attention as they got ready for bed, and soon the light was off and they were in their own bunks. Only once they had settled did he let himself relax enough to actually sleep.

 

His dreams were full of flying lions and laser blasts and the disembodied screams of his team. The screeching alarm that woke him up was a blessing.

 

He reported back to the kitchen, and the day went much like the previous one. On a break between cleanup from breakfast and set up for lunch, Lers took him to the showers and got him a change of clothes.

 

Three days passed like this. Shiro slowly grew friendlier with the crew around him, but not friendly enough to actually consider any of them friends. Wirst and the Captain checked in on him from time to time, mainly to make sure he wasn’t causing trouble, he thought. The Captain would probably love a reason to toss him overboard.

 

Wirst cornered him after dinner one night before he went to bed.

 

“Uh, can I help you?” Shiro asked. He’d been looking forward to passing out and ignoring every single one of his problems.

 

This looked like he was about to add a problem to that list.

 

Wirst leaned in close. “Tomorrow, we’re raiding a transport ship. We need food and whatever else we can find on it.”

 

“Okay. And you’re telling me this in a dark hallway because…”

 

“We don’t usually warn the crew before we attack. They get more pumped up if it’s a last minute thing,” Wirst said. “But the Captain and I aren’t sure what you’ll do tomorrow.”

 

“If you’re wondering whether I’ll turn on you, I won’t. It wouldn’t do me any good.”

 

Wirst nodded and leaned back a little. “Good to know. But more than that, we want to know what you plan on doing.”

 

Shiro raised a brow. “What’d you have in mind?”

 

“You’re a fighter, right? You have to be if you’re a rebel.”

 

Shiro slowly nodded, a pit growing in his stomach. He had a bad feeling about where this was going. “I don’t want to hurt anyone though.”

 

Wirst laughed. “Then you shouldn’t have stayed on a pirate ship. Besides, it’s a Galra transport ship.”

 

That only made Shiro feel marginally better. A transport ship did not mean it would be full of soldiers. Then again, the Galra were the type to send soldiers everywhere, so maybe it would.

 

“Look, Captain was hoping to send you with the advance party. You know how to fight Galra, you’ll be able to get through them faster and keep more of us alive.”

 

“If it’s so dangerous, why are you doing it? Can’t you get supplies elsewhere?” Shiro asked.

 

“We could,” Wirst shrugged. “But we don’t have money to pay for things the nice way. Most people won’t have anything to do with us.”

 

 _It sounds like you brought that upon yourself_ , Shiro thought.

 

“Like it or not, this is what we are. We do what we have to so we can survive. Are you going to help us or not?”

 

Wirst had managed to strike a chord in Shiro. They were just doing what they needed to to survive. That was all he’d done for a year when he was a Galra prisoner. He had no right to judge them.

 

“I’ll help.” Maybe if he went in the advance party, he could limit the bloodshed.

 

Wirst patted his shoulder. “Excellent.” He leaned closer again. “And if you somehow manage to snag a few valuable items, you might be able to convince the Captain to drop you off somewhere your friends can find you.”

 

Wirst walked away, leaving Shiro lost in his thoughts in the middle of the hallway. Of course finding his friends was all he wanted, but was he willing to pay the price Wirst had just told him? Steal from others to do it? Could he bring himself to stoop that low?

 

_I don’t know what to do, Black. Is my making it back more important than a few trinkets belonging to other people?_

 

He walked back to his room in a daze, trying to imagine what the others would do in his situation. Pidge and Hunk would have built something and gotten out of here on their own, so this wouldn’t even apply to them. Allura could have negotiated with the Captain until persuading her to take her anywhere she wanted. Knowing Coran, the man probably had a ten thousand year old favor with someone on the ship he could cash in. Lance and Keith, though, those two would probably have ended up in his exact predicament. Well, assuming Keith hadn’t fought and asked questions later and Lance didn’t annoy them so much they threw him back into space.

 

But, for sake of argument, Shiro ignored those possibilities and tried to imagine their thought process right now. Lance might refuse to steal; he’d go with the raid and help the crew survive, but he’d bide his time until finding a better way to get back to the others without hurting anyone.

 

Keith wouldn’t hesitate to steal. He’d steal anything he could get his hands on if it meant getting back faster. He’d figure he was already leading a raid against these people, what were a few valuable items on top of that?

 

Shiro stretched out on his bunk, hands folded behind his head.

 

It came down to how badly he wanted to get back to the others. Was he willing to sacrifice a few morals in exchange for speed?

 

Could he afford not to?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man this was a fun chapter to write! Space pirates are just fun, y'know?
> 
> But don't worry, we'll get back to Lotor (AKA space Zuko/Inigo Montoya) soon. If all goes well I'll try and have that chapter up Saturday. Maybe Sunday.


	7. Why'd it Have to be Spiders?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A robeast makes an appearance, putting Voltron to the test.

The only time Lotor hated being a prince was when he was trying to find a sparring partner. The generals who might actually take him seriously were all busy, and the regular soldiers were afraid to actually fight him. Most of them weren’t even a real challenge anyway.

           

Unfortunately, this left him with nothing but simulations to fight and those weren’t any fun. He was in an understandably grumpy mood when he returned to his quarters.

 

For guest quarters, they were lavish and comfy. It was three rooms all to himself, with an extravagant bed in one room and set of couches and a monitor in the other.

 

For the prince of a ten thousand year old emperor, it was nothing more than temporary accommodations. His bedroom alone back at his colony was bigger than all this. Not to mention the pool-sized bathtub had all to himself. Oh, he missed his bathtub. Showers were not the same. They were efficient though. He was clean and dressed again in a fraction of the time it usually took.

           

This also meant he was laying back with a fresh cup of Gospin when he received an incoming call.

 

He waved his hand through the air to accept it. Maahox’s smug face appeared before him.

 

Lotor grinned. “I trust you have good news?”

 

“The beasts are ready to deploy when you are,” Maahox announced.

 

“Excellent. I’ll see if we have coordinates. But in the event these generals fail me, look into the energy signature of Voltron. It should be unique enough to track.”

 

“Of course, my Lord,” Maahox inclined his head.

 

Lotor waved his hand again and ended the call. Leaning back he took a long sip of his Gospin. Things were coming along perfectly. At this rate, he’d have Voltron destroyed in a matter of quintents.

 

“See Father?” Lotor muttered to the air. “I’ll succeed where you never could. The universe doesn’t need Voltron. Our empire lasted millennia without it.” And as soon as Voltron returned, it had taken a matter of weeks for everything to fall apart. Now the empire was without an emperor.

 

Lotor didn’t care how badly Zarkon wanted Voltron under his control. Fathers in comas didn’t get a say in all-powerful weapons like this. Zarkon had had his chance to commandeer it. He’d failed, and he’d paid the price. Lotor would clean this mess up in his father’s stead. Once Voltron was destroyed, Zarkon would understand. And even if he didn’t, it would be too late.

 

He finished off his Gospin and set the cup on his table. Donning his purple cape, he strode out of his room and made for the General of Defense’s office. He needed those coordinates now.

 

Xx

 

This wasn’t the first time Keith had found himself sitting in the middle of the training deck. He hadn’t activated the gladiator, and his weapons sat next to him. His jacket lay by the door where he always left it. The bruise on his right arm was as dark as his shirt, but the edges were finally turning a sickening yellow.

 

Every time he’d tried to train alone, he found himself staring at that bruise with guilt. This wasn’t what a responsible leader would do. He couldn’t risk injury doing something foolish like this.

 

But he was so used to spending all his free time in here, he didn’t know what else to do. So he kept coming, telling himself his chances of getting hurt again were so small it didn’t matter, he could train for a little while, but when he got himself into position he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t call the gladiator.

           

He didn’t know if this was progress towards being a better leader or if he should be more concerned. It was turning into another problem he was willing to ignore as long as he could. No one was getting hurt, after all, so what was the harm?

 

There was probably something he should be doing right now, something more important than sitting around. His bond with Black could certainly be stronger, and Coran could always use another set of hands. He should check on the others too, make sure they were doing okay.

 

The door opened and Lance walked in before he decided anything.

           

“There you are,” Lance said. “I knew you had to be in here, even if it was way too quiet. What are you doing?”

 

“Just thinking, I guess,” Keith replied. “What’s up?” He reached for both of his weapons. If one of the others had come looking for him, it meant they needed something.

 

“Allura wants to—What the Quiznak happened to your arm?” Lance demanded, striding forward and grabbing Keith’s wrist. He turned Keith’s arm to get a better look at it.

           

“The gladiator got me the other night, it’s fine,” Keith said. He was tempted to pull his arm back, but Lance’s grip was so tight he didn’t think it would end well. Lance would just get all pissed about it.

 

“Did you ice this at all?” Lance asked.

 

“It was late,” Keith shrugged. “It didn’t seem like a big deal.”

 

“Not a big deal,” Lance scoffed. “This thing covers half your arm.”

 

“It’s fine, Lance,” Keith said, finally giving in to his impulse to pull his arm back. “What did Allura want?”

 

“She wants to talk to all of us,” Lance said. “But dude, not the issue. How many other giant bruises are you hiding?”

 

“None,” Keith answered honestly. He started walking out, Lance following on his heels.

 

“Yeah, I don’t believe that,” Lance stated, “considering all the time you spend in here.”

 

“Stop worrying,” Keith said, picking up his jacket mid-stride and continuing through the doors. “I haven’t actually been training when I’m in here.”

 

“What you just sit and brood all the time?” Lance asked.

 

Keith shrugged into his jacket. If Lance was making this big a fuss about the bruise, he didn’t want to know what everyone else’s reactions would be. “I do not brood.”

 

“Looked like brooding to me,” Lance said.

 

“Well what do you know?” Keith retorted a bit harshly.

 

Lance winced next to him, but he was quick to cover it up. “All I’m saying is that if you need someone to talk to, I’ll listen, okay? I won’t tease you about it.”

 

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Keith insisted. Why did this castle have to be so big? There were too many hallways yet before they would reach the others; that was too much time for Lance to keep pestering him.

 

“Dude, seriously? You were closer to Shiro than any of us, and I know you haven’t talked to me, Hunk, or Pidge, and somehow I doubt you’ve talked to Allura, Coran, or Slav.”

 

“That would be because _there’s nothing to talk about_ ,” Keith reiterated. His gut had not twisted painfully at Shiro’s name, it hadn’t.

 

Lance sighed. “Keep lying to yourself, then. But when you’re ready, I’ll be here, promise.”

 

Keith glanced at him from the corner of his eye. Lance looked pretty sincere, at any rate. Not that Keith had doubted Lance’s offer, he just wasn’t usually in the business of talking about his problems with other people. But he’d made sure to force Shiro to talk to him before, so maybe he should consider it any rate.

 

“Thanks,” Keith said.

 

Lance grinned and clapped his shoulder. “Well, someone’s got to look out for you, and I think Red would kill me if I didn’t make sure you were okay.”

 

That startled a laugh out of Keith. “Yeah, she did grow to be pretty protective of me.”

 

“That’s an understatement,” Lance said. “I barely even hinted at an insult to you the other day and she ejected me. Wouldn’t let me back in right away, either.”

 

Keith laughed again. “Serves you right.”

 

“No, your lion is just as weird as you. You’ve brainwashed her somehow,” Lance stated, crossing his arms.

 

“Right, because I actually have total control over a ten thousand year old magic robot lion,” Keith said.

 

“Can’t deny the proof,” Lance proclaimed.

 

They rounded the final corner before the control room, and Keith’s eyes zeroed in on the door immediately. They were almost there. He just had to entertain Lance’s wild ideas for a little longer.

 

“The proof that you’re an idiot? No, I really can’t.”

 

“Hey!” Lance said.

 

Keith grinned at him.

 

Lance bumped his arm, acknowledging the joke. “If I’m an idiot, what does that make you?”

 

“Apparently a mind controlling wizard.”

 

Lance laughed, and he was still grinning when they strode through the doors and joined everyone else. They were the last to arrive, and Keith tried not to let that bother him too much. He’d always hated being the last one there and feeling like everyone had been waiting on him, but now that he was standing in as leader he really hated it.

 

“Oh, good, you’re here!” Allura said.

 

“Yeah, what’s going on?” Keith asked.

 

“Coran gave us a list of parts he knows definitely needs to be replaced,” Pidge said.

 

“And Slav gave us access to his bank account,” Hunk said. “Dude you would not _believe_ how much gac the guy has! We’re loaded!”

 

“Yes, well we don’t want to abuse his generosity,” Allura stated. “We’re on our way to a trading moon in the Trizu galaxy, where we should be able to find most of the parts Coran needs. But while we’re there I also want to try and trade some old things around the castle and build up our own finances.”

 

Keith nodded. “That makes sense. When will we get there?”

 

“Not for a few vargas,” Allura replied. “I’ll need some help going around the castle to find some things that might be valuable.”

 

“No problem,” Lance said. “I’ve been wanting to explore more for ages now!”

 

Keith couldn’t disagree. There hadn’t really been time to see all the wings of the castle since they got there, not without getting lost. This would be the perfect opportunity to do that.

 

“Then let’s get started!” Allura said.

 

They spent the entire time until arrival searching through the closed off wings of the castle, and they amassed quite a pile of old clothes and some priceless jewelry that had belonged to one noble or another. The jewelry at least would get them some decent cash, as long as Allura was able to find a buyer.

 

“I don’t know about this, Princess,” Coran said. He and Slav had emerged from the engine room to see them off, both of them covered in grease stains. “I don’t like the idea of you going out there. Those traders can be dangerous.”

 

“So can I,” Allura said. She had her hair up and used her chameleon ability to shift her skin-tone to a lighter shade, hiding the marks under her eyes, and she also had a thick green scarf wrapped around her head. “Besides, I am not going alone.”

 

“That’s right, she’ll have me right there with her the whole time,” Lance said, sliding an arm around Allura’s shoulders.

 

She sighed and tried very hard not to throw him off.

 

“I’ll be there too,” Keith said before Coran’s twitching mustache could evolve into a flat out refusal to let Allura leave the castle ever again.

 

“Besides, she’s a paladin of Voltron,” Pidge said. “If she can’t go out and bargain with some traders, who can?”

 

“I still don’t like it,” Coran said.

 

“I’m sorry, Coran, but I’m going,” Allura said, walking out before he could protest further.

 

“Be careful!” Coran called after her.

 

“Yes, trades go sour fifteen percent of the time in all realities!” Slav added. “And in at least fifty of them it ends in death!”

 

Keith pushed everyone ahead of him before Coran could change his mind about letting them go.

 

The trading post wasn’t anything like the last one they’d been to. Keith had expected to walk into another space mall, but this was closer to what he imagined an actual trading post to look like: An open air market with stalls lining the road, and aliens of every shape and size crowded together, heckling over prices.

 

Pidge and Hunk, armed with Coran’s very specific list, went off together to find the parts for the castle. Keith and Lance accompanied Allura on her quest to build their own finances, which quickly turned into keeping Lance and Allura on track and not distracted by every stall they passed.

 

Seriously, Lance he could understand, he was usually very easily distracted, but he’d have put money down on Allura staying focused when they were here for a very specific mission. It was apparently money he’d have lost.

 

“Allura, come on, we’re supposed to be selling our own stuff, remember?” Keith asked, attempting to pry her away from a glittering brooch as big as his head.

 

“But this goes with my eyes! And it would make the perfect back corsage, don’t you think?” she asked, holding it up.

 

Keith didn’t even know what a back corsage was, but Lance didn’t have that problem.

 

“It does match your eyes,” he agreed. “But it’s a little big for your back.”

 

“Unless I shifted to accommodate it,” Allura stated, tilting her head and looking at it again.

 

Keith put his face in his hands. “Allura, we have no money to buy it. That’s why we’re here, remember?”

 

She glanced over at him and sighed. “You’re right.” She put the brooch down.

 

Lance put a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll find something else for you, okay? Maybe something smaller.”

 

“No, Keith is right,” Allura said, smiling sadly. “We can’t afford to buy frivolous things right now.” She reached into her back and pulled out some of the old Altean jewelry, starting to bargain with the salesman.

 

Keith and Lance hung back, letting her do the talking.

 

“It’s not frivolous if it makes you happy,” Lance said.

 

Keith glanced at him. “Uh, okay?”

 

“Sorry,” Lance said, crossing his arms. “There’s just not a lot to make any of us happy right now. And if some jewelry can make the princess happy, then it’s worth it.”

 

Keith shrugged. He didn’t completely agree, but he didn’t want to start a fight right now. It would only make the salesman shoo them away, and they’d lose the sale. It wasn’t worth it.

 

They managed to stay on track after that, but Keith didn’t miss the somber mood in the air. It hadn’t been there before. He didn’t think there was anything he could have done about it; they were there for a reason, they needed to do it. They could mess around afterwards.

 

Unfortunately, they didn’t get an afterwards.

 

 _“Uh, guys?”_ Coran called through their helmets.

 

“What’s up?” Keith asked.

 

_“You all need to get back to the castle right away. It looks like one of those robeasts is headed towards us.”_

_“How is that possible?”_ Pidge asked.

 

 _“Yeah, I thought we already won,_ ” Hunk said.

 

A horrible feeling twisted inside Keith, a thought teasing the edges of his mind that he didn’t want to look at. “It doesn’t matter. Get back to the castle and get to your lions. We need to defend this planet.”

 

He, Lance, and Allura were already making their way back, sprinting through the crowd. At least they’d sold most of what they’d brought.

 

 _“On our way_ ,” Pidge said.

 

That was the last communication they had until running into the control room together. There was only minor confusion as Lance and Keith tried to go to the wrong spots, but they had it sorted quickly and were on their way to the hangers. It was still odd though; Keith had kept his red uniform, and Lance had kept his blue one. Allura still wore her normal combat suit. They just weren’t in the matching lions anymore.

 

Keith’s palms were sweaty, and his heart was racing. It would be the first time they all went out in their lions together with the new dynamic. It would be his first time trying to lead them in a fight.

 

A fight that shouldn’t even be happening considering they’d beaten Zarkon the other day, but he’d deal with that later.

 

Black was waiting for him, engine already running. His hands shook as he took the controls, and she sent calm thoughts to him. He needed to be focused right now.

 

He took a deep breath. “Everyone ready?”

 

A chorus of replies answered him.

 

“Then let’s do this!” Black shot out of the hanger. Blurs of color joined him on either side.

 

 _“Whoa baby, this is seriously fast!”_ Lance said. Red had pulled ahead of the others slightly, but Lance was quick to rein her in and join the formation.

 

 _“I see the robeast_!” Pidge said.

 

 _“It looks like a spider_ ,” Hunk said.

 

Keith spotted it, and he couldn’t agree more. Eight legs, each one with its own thruster, stuck out of a long, oval body. A round head at the front had nasty looking pincers, and even as Keith watched they started to glow, energy gathering between them.

 

Warning bells went off in his head. “It’s going to fire!”

 

 _“I got this!”_ Lance said, racing towards it. He shot the magma blaster at it, dousing the building laser but doing nothing to ultimately stop it. “ _Right…I’m fire now, not ice.”_

 

Keith would have face-palmed if he’d had time. “Scatter!”

 

The laser that fired wasn’t one beam, it was three. The middle one shot out straight from the spider’s pincers, but the other two were angled slightly. Allura and Hunk narrowly missed them.

 

 _“Yikes! Let’s not waste any time on this one,”_ Hunk said.

 

“Yeah,” Keith agreed. “Regroup and form Voltron!”

 

They were barely able to do it in practice, and that was with complete concentration. But they’d always been better about it in a fight. Seeing a common goal was usually enough to get them synced enough to form Voltron.

 

The lions came together, and he felt the familiar thrum of other minds buzzing at the back of his head. But it was like there was a wall between his mind and everyone else’s.

 

 _“Shouldn’t something have happened by now?”_ Allura asked.

 

 _“Yeah, it doesn’t usually take this long_ ,” Hunk said.

 

Keith gnashed his teeth together. Something was wrong. He checked on the spider robeast and saw it getting ready to fire again. “Look out!”

 

 _“We might need more time to get used to the new dynamic,”_ Pidge offered, doing a barrel roll to avoid the blast.

 

They didn’t have time to get used to it, they needed Voltron _now_.

 

Whatever. He’d make do with what they had. “Maybe. Attack it with all you’ve got. Let’s see if we can get in sync working together in combat.”

 

 _“Aye, aye, captain,_ ” Lance said.

 

Things only went downhill from there. For one, the spider thing had more than one laser, as Pidge found out trying to sneak up on it from behind. The spot where a normal spider would shoot webbing was also a weapon, but it shot out some thick purple goo that none of them were eager to get close to. Pidge barely managed to avoid it. Not only that, but it seemed to have armor thicker than the Yellow lion’s. None of their shots did any damage.

 

And for another, some of them just weren’t used to their lions. Keith felt like he was driving a tank compared to the smaller and more agile Red. Allura was having trouble flying and fighting at the same time; she always came to a stop and angled herself before firing, which made her too much of a target. And Lance was having too much fun exploring Red’s extreme dexterity, in Keith’s opinion. Red’s faster speed was also screwing him up; He kept missing his shots because Red had moved past the point he wanted to shoot because he hadn’t adjusted to how much faster he would get to that point yet.

 

Thank god Pidge and Hunk hadn’t changed lions. They were able to cover for the other three, and Keith was sad to say they sorely needed it.

 

His frustration was growing quickly, and he could feel it building a thicker wall against the others. They were never going to form Voltron like this.

 

 _“You’ll have to control your emotions if you’re going to lead this group someday_.”

 

Shiro’s words, loud and clear, rang through his head.

 

 His grip tightened on the controls. He had to be better at this; he couldn’t let Shiro down, not now, not when the team needed him.

 

 _“I don’t think this is working_ ,” Hunk said. _“I can’t find any chinks in its armor!”_

 

“ _We need Voltron_!” Allura said. “ _It’s sword should be powerful enough to cut through it._ ”

 

That was great in theory, but that didn’t seem like an option right now. Keith grit his teeth and summoned Black’s jaw blade. So far they’d all been keeping their distance from this thing, but maybe the jaw blade would be strong enough to cut through it.

 

A laser blast cut right in front of him and he pulled up sharply.

_“Quiznak, Keith! Warn us next time!”_ Lance yelled.

 

“Watch where you’re firing!” Keith retorted.

 

“ _Can we not fight each other, please?”_ Hunk asked.

 

Keith took a deep breath to calm down. Hunk was right. He was just tense from the situation, that was all. “Sorry. I’m going in close.”

 

“ _Be careful,_ ” Pidge said. “ _These things always tend to have more tricks up their sleeves_.”

 

Good advice. He’d keep that in mind. He dodged down to avoid the tri-blast from the pincers mouth and then did a barrel roll around the robeast, dragging the jaw blade over it. He cut through two of the legs, at least, but he didn’t even scratch the body.

 

 _“Watch out!”_ Allura yelled.

 

The second laser with the purple goo was getting ready to fire, just as Keith was righting himself behind the creature. No problem. He’d just dive down again.

 

Except this wasn’t Red, and quick maneuvers like that took micro-seconds longer, and those micro-seconds mattered. The blast hit the wings on Black’s back, spreading until encasing the lion in a thick purple shell. Keith couldn’t see anything outside the cockpit.

 

 _“Holy Quiznak. Keith, you okay?”_ Lance asked.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine, but I can’t see, and Black can’t seem to move.” None of the legs were responsive, and he couldn’t twist either.

 

 _“Well I guess we know what that does now,”_ Pidge said.

 

That was not comforting for Keith in the slightest. Failure and shame washed through him, and he felt another wall go up between his thoughts and everyone else’s.

 

 _“Lance, see if you can melt the stuff off Keith_ ,” Allura suggested.

 

 _“Oh, good idea!”_ Lance said.

 

Keith didn’t have to wait long before he was free again.

 

 _“Alright, now that Keith is free, can we please form Voltron and beat the crap out of this thing?_ ” Pidge asked. She shot a vine beam at the robeast’s pincers, buying them a little time.

 

Keith took a deep breath. This was it. Now or never. “Form Voltron!”

 

They hovered near each other, their minds reaching out for one another. To Keith, it felt like their minds were all further away than before.

 

 _“What are we doing wrong?”_ Allura asked. _“Am I supposed to push a button or something?_ ”

 

 _“No, usually we just mentally connect with one another. I don’t know why it’s not working_ ,” Hunk said.

 

Three beams shot over their heads as the robeast freed itself.

 

“ _So if we can’t form Voltron what are we supposed to do?”_ Pidge asked. “ _We can’t even make a dent on this thing!”_

 

What would Shiro do? Keith wondered. They had to subdue this monster somehow, even if they couldn’t beat it. As long as it was no longer a threat, it was okay, right?

 

“Lance, shoot—sorry, Allura, use your ice beam on it. Maybe we can trap it.”

 

 _“Right,”_ Allura said, moving into position.

 

“Everyone else, cover her!” Keith said. They were already moving to do that anyway, but his nerves were shot and he needed to feel like he had something under control.

 

Allura fired the regular blaster first before figuring out how to use the ice beam. Pidge used her vine beam on the pincers again, giving everyone a little protection while Allura figured it out. Once she did, she shot a powerful blast out, encasing the robeast’s head in ice. She didn’t let up. The ice traveled over its body and legs, meeting together at the other end.

 

They waited several long heartbeats, but the robeast didn’t move again.

 

“Let’s get back to the castle and get out of here,” Keith said, waiting until everyone else turned away and headed back before doing the same.

 

_“So, if we’re still fighting those things, does that mean Zarkon isn’t beaten?” Hunk asked._

 

Keith did not want to think about that. Zarkon still alive meant Shiro…

 

No. He wasn’t thinking about it.

 

“ _At the very least, this beast proves the empire is still a threat to us,”_ Allura said. _“We’ll have to confer with the Blade of Marmora and see if they have any information_.”

 

All that, and nothing had changed.

 

Keith was shaking as he guided Black to her hanger. She landed herself, the delicate maneuver more than he could handle right now.

 

Nothing had changed. The empire still thrived. Shiro’s sacrifice meant nothing.

 

 _Damn it_ he’d been trying not to think about that.

 

“I’m sorry, Shiro,” Keith whispered. He couldn’t unclench his hands from the controls.

 

Shiro had given everything for the team, and trusted in them wholeheartedly, and they couldn’t do a thing to help him in return. Four days and they still had no idea where he was or what had happened to him, just that he was alive and waiting for them somewhere.

 

Not only that, but Shiro had entrusted the team to Keith, and Keith had failed. They hadn’t been able to form Voltron, because Keith couldn’t lead them right.

 

He choked on a sob.

 

 _No, I don’t want to cry again_. He’d done that the other night. Crying wouldn’t solve anything. Besides, they needed to discuss what they were going to do now, and he needed to be there for that. He couldn’t break down right now.

 

He couldn’t shove his shame down far enough though. He’d let Shiro down in so many ways. He’d let the team down.

 

His eyes watered, despite his best efforts to the contrary. He bit down on his lip. He would not cry again. It was pathetic and useless.

 

Pain bloomed in his lip, and he felt blood drip down his chin. At least the physical pain helped him calm down a little. He took deep breaths, hunched over his controls. Just a few more minutes. He’d give himself a few more minutes, and then he’d meet up with the others so they could try and figure this out.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So good news! I have the rest of this story outlined! You are in for some really fun times, my friends. I hope you're ready. 
> 
> Oh, quick question: Do you know who Maahox is? I got him from the 2011 Voltron Force, but I don't know if he's actually in the original or not. 
> 
> See you soon!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of the battle, Hunk is just trying to keep himself and everyone else sane. It's a bigger job than he realized.

 

Tense situations always made Hunk’s stomach a little queasy. He didn’t like it when people were angry and yelling at each other. It twisted his overly sensitive stomach into knots. Thanks to Voltron, though, he’d gotten better at dealing with it, and it took a lot more to get him to that point.

 

Being unable to form Voltron in a fight and dealing with the aftermath of what the fight meant in terms of the empire they thought they had just crushed was pushing it. Just a little. Especially when Keith hadn’t come out of the hanger yet and everyone was growing more and more impatient. Allura, in particular, had her arms crossed and was tapping both her foot and her fingers

 

“I’m gonna go check on Keith,” Hunk said, running from the room. Any excuse to get out of there before the atmosphere actually solidified.

 

He calmed down significantly on the walk down to the hanger. Keith was just walking out of Black when Hunk came in, head down and shoulders drooping.

 

“Whoa, man, you okay?” Hunk asked.

 

Keith jumped, wide eyes staring at him. Hunk thought he looked very much like a five year-old who had just been caught with his hands in the cookie jar. Which didn’t make any sense, because Keith had just been coming out of his lion. Why would he feel guilty about that?

 

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

 

Hunk raised a brow. Ignoring the way he looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders and gruff raspiness of his voice, Hunk could maybe pretend to go along with that notion.

 

“Didn’t mean to keep everyone waiting, sorry,” Keith said, forcing his shoulders back and striding past Hunk.

 

“Right,” Hunk said. Keith was clearly not fine, but Keith wasn’t the type to actually tell anyone that. He’d learned that about him early on. Hunk caught up with him. “Y’know, if you ever want to talk about anything, I’ll listen. I’m a great listener, just ask Lance.”

 

“I appreciate that, but there’s nothing to talk about,” Keith stated.

 

Ooooh, the denial stage. This might be a bigger challenge than Hunk had anticipated. “Maybe not right now,” he conceded. “But whenever. If something ever comes up. It’s an open invitation.”

 

Keith nodded once and then looked down at his feet.

 

It frustrated Hunk that Keith wouldn’t let him help. He liked to help people, that was what he did, but if the person didn’t want help then there was nothing he could do. That didn’t make it any easier to watch them suffer.

 

The walk up to the control room was quiet, bordering on awkward. Hunk tapped his fingers together. He didn’t want to ask about the fight, that was what they were going to talk about in just a few minutes anyway. And small talk seemed a little pointless.

 

In the end, neither of them said anything and they walked into the control room. Allura was the first person they both looked at, her regal presence more than a little over-bearing in her agitation right then.

 

“Finally,” she said. “What were you doing?”

 

“Nothing, sorry,” Keith said, retreating into himself.

 

“How can you be doing nothing at a time like this?” Allura demanded. “Zarkon is apparently alive and we just failed to form Voltron!”

 

If Hunk hadn’t already been watching Keith like a hawk, he would have missed him tensing his shoulders, like he was getting ready for a fight.

 

“I noticed,” Keith stated. He crossed his arms, hiding his fists.

 

“Does this mean we didn’t beat Zarkon?” Lance asked. He was sitting in the blue paladin operating chair, leaning on his knees. His eyes were wide and pleading.

 

Hunk wanted to know the same thing. If they hadn’t beaten Zarkon, that meant they weren’t going home any time soon, not even to visit. Both of them had been hoping to see their families again, and Hunk knew it was killing Lance to not even be able to call them. Phone privileges had been strict at the Garrison; they were limited to their hour of free time in the middle of the day or after dinner. That didn’t stop Lance from constantly texting his entire family, sending them selfies and catching up on the family shenanigans.

 

“It means that even if we did, we haven’t won,” Coran said sadly. “He must have a successor, or some kind of plan to keep the empire going even without him.”

 

In hindsight they should have expected that, Hunk supposed. But as the ruling leader for ten thousand years, it had been nice to think that with Zarkon’s defeat everything would crumble. They’d been so sure that last battle would be the Final One, and they’d even lost Shiro…

 

Oh man. Oh that meant…

 

Well, at least he understood Keith’s current issues a little better. And maybe Allura’s, too.

 

“So what do we do?” Pidge asked. “Attack their central command again?”

 

“We need more information, first,” Allura said.

 

“And we need to be able to form Voltron if we’re going to do that,” Keith said.

 

Allura nodded. “Why weren’t we able to today?”

 

“Maybe because we’re in the wrong lions?” Lance suggested.

 

“We just need practice,” Keith said. “But we should focus on finding Shiro first. We’ll be stronger with him as the head.”

 

No one argued against him, and Hunk felt a little bad. He did prefer Shiro being the leader…Keith wasn’t great at communicating with the rest of them, and he rushed into things without explaining what he was doing first. It made for a lot of terrified confusion. But Keith did have the potential to be a great leader, if he could just slow down a little. Hunk had glimpsed it in the Weblum. So if Keith had to be their leader for a long time, Hunk could get used to it. And they could work on the communication thing.

 

He didn’t know how the others felt with the current arrangement. He imagined it wasn’t much different. But still, Keith was trying. Hunk had seen more of him in the last few days than he had in all the weeks prior, for no other reason than Keith checking up on him.

 

“How are we supposed to find Shiro?” Pidge asked. “I haven’t had any luck hacking into the Galra databases, and we don’t even know where else to look.”

 

“The Blade of Marmora has alerted their field agents to keep an eye out, but they haven’t reported anything either,” Allura added.

 

“Can Black find him?” Lance asked.

 

Everyone turned towards him.

 

Lance rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, the only reason we even know Shiro is alive is because of Black, so that means Black has to have some kind of connection. Maybe we could use that to try and pinpoint some coordinates.”

 

“That’s not a bad idea,” Coran said. “The lions definitely have a way to track their paladins, and over great distances.” He nodded at Keith. “If Keith can connect strongly enough with the Black Lion, he just might be able to discern Shiro’s whereabouts.”

 

Was it Hunk’s imagination, or did Keith look a little pale?

 

“But if Black can figure out where Shiro is, why hasn’t she gone after him herself?” Keith asked.

 

“Could be any number of reasons,” Coran said. “I’m afraid I don’t really know the way the lions work.”

 

“Regardless, Keith,” Allura said. “See if you can bond more with Black and find Shiro. Depending on the current state of the empire, we may not have much time.”

 

Keith nodded.

 

“I’ll keep hacking through Galra databases and see if I can figure out what’s going on over there,” Pidge said. 

 

“Now that we have those parts you got us, Slav and I will get everything up and running!” Coran said.

 

“Hey, where is Slav anyway?” Hunk asked. He hadn’t even realized the strange little alien wasn’t there.

 

“I left him in the hall outside the engine room with a blanket to straighten,” Coran said. They all looked at him, brows raised and slightly judgmental. “The mice are watching him! He’s fine! Perfectly fine. But, um, now you mention it, maybe I’ll go check up on him.”

 

He ran from the room, patting Hunk on the shoulder as he went.

 

Allura sighed and rubbed her temples. “I suppose I’ll keep reading through the books to try and learn my magic.”

 

“And I’ll get started on dinner,” Hunk said. “Lance, want to help?”

 

Lance perked up immediately. “Sure thing!”

 

The team split up then, everyone wandering off towards their separate destinations. Lance walked beside Hunk, his hands folded behind his head.

 

“I was going to try and make tamales tonight,” Hunk said, entering the kitchen. The lights came on automatically, and he went right to the fridge and pulled out the ingredients he needed. “Sound good?”

 

“Sounds delicious,” Lance said. He reached for the ingredient with leaves wrapped around it and started husking.

 

Hunk nodded in approval and got to work on the filling. It would be simple enough to recreate this meal; he only hoped he could get the taste right.

 

“Wish we had some tunes,” Lance said. “Cooking was always more fun when we had music.”

 

“Yeah. Remember that time we started singing Disney in the Garrison and forgot about our mac and cheese?”

 

Lance snickered. “We had the whole floor pissed at us for a week until the smell cleared out!”

 

“Hey, not our fault they built the kitchen in the middle of all the rooms with no windows to air it out,” Hunk said. “That was just poor design.”

 

“Seriously. You’d think they’d want us to be able to open some windows in there,” Lance agreed. He pulled off the last leaves from the vegetable in his hands. At least he hoped it was a vegetable. He trusted Hunk to know what he was doing, but he was getting real tired of not recognizing his food.

 

“Oh well, guess it doesn’t matter now,” Hunk said. He passed Lance a knife so Lance could cut up the crieta he’d husked.

 

“Yeah…” Lance started cutting, and they fell into silence.

 

Hunk got what Lance was saying about music. He wished for some tunes himself, but they didn’t have anything that could play earth music. Well, they had Lance’s ipod, but nothing that would adapt the earth tech to the altean tech.

 

Not yet, anyway. That should be simple enough to design later. And it would probably even work on that video game system Pidge had bought from the Space Mall. Hmm, maybe he should make a couple.

 

Oh well, at least in the meantime he knew the Disney songs without the music. He started quietly, waiting for Lance to pick up on it. “Gotta keep, one jump ahead of the breadline.”

 

Lance grinned. “One swing, ahead of the sword!”

 

Hunk grinned back. Together they sang “I steal only what I can’t afford! That’s everything.” The smiles stayed on their faces while they danced around and made tamales. They went through the entire Aladdin soundtrack, and then they shifted to Moana. By the end of Moana the food was ready, and both of their faces hurt from smiling so much.

 

Hunk plated the dinners and garnished them, surveying his work and nodding with pride. They were acceptable for everyone.

 

“Nice job,” Lance said, patting Hunk on the shoulder. “Should we call everyone or just deliver it all?”

 

The stress from earlier creeped up on Hunk, flushing out the calm joy he’d had while cooking. “Let’s just bring it to everyone. They’re all pretty caught up in their work.”

 

“Yeah…I’ll take Pidge and Allura, you take Coran and Keith?”

 

“If you go to Pidge you might as well go to Keith, they’re both in the hangers,” Hunk said.

 

“Oh, good point,” Lance said.

 

Hunk pulled out two trays and loaded four plates onto one. “I’ll go to Allura and Coran, you take Pidge and Keith.”

 

Lance groaned but nodded, placing the last three plates on the tray.

 

Hunk went to Coran and Slav first. He could hear them arguing back and forth from all the way down the hall, which did not bode well for whatever scene he was about to walk in on.

 

He’d been right. Coran was hanging upside down from some sort of contraption and Slav stood under him, all six arms crossed and going on about percentages of success being higher with Coran upside down. Coran was red in the face, but Hunk couldn’t tell if it was anger or the blood rushing to his head. Did Alteans even have red blood? Did they blush? What if it was purple or something? Would they turn purple when embarrassed? Hunk would have to ask when he got the chance. This didn’t feel like the right moment.

 

“Um…everything okay?” Hunk asked.

 

“Ah, Number 2!” Coran exclaimed. “I could use your assistance in getting down!”

 

“Nonsense! I told you, you’ll be able to unscrew the rusted screw better with this angle!” Slav said.

 

Hunk, not knowing what to do, glanced between the two. He’d really like to just leave their dinner and run and let them figure it out between themselves.

 

He had a feeling Allura would yell at him for that. Something about not acting very paladin-like. Well no one ever said being a paladin meant mediating fights between their mechanics. Though paladins are supposed to be peace-makers, so maybe it was all inclusive? He sighed. There was no getting out of this one.

 

“How about we forget the screw for now and you guys come eat?” Hunk said. “I brought dinner!” He lifted the tray.

 

The two glanced at him and then looked at the food. Slav scurried over and peered over the edge of the tray. “Did you put any Griscus sauce in this?” he asked.

 

“Uh, I don’t know what that is.”

 

“So is it in this?”

 

“No?”

 

“Very well,” Slav said, taking a plate and sitting right where he was on the floor.

 

Hunk blinked. He couldn’t tell if Slav was disappointed or not at the lack of Griscus sauce.

 

“Now will you help me down?” Coran demanded.

 

Hunk put the tray down on the console and rushed over to help. It took a bit of maneuvering and they relied on gravity more than Coran would have liked, but they got him down. Coran took his plate and Hunk took his escape. They could figure out the rusted screw problem without him.

 

Finding Allura took a bit of time, since he hadn’t actually known where the library was. In the end, he found the mice first and they guided him. He was surprised the room looked so much like a library on earth, only instead of books it was rows and rows of tablets, each with at least five books worth of information in them.

 

Allura had built a nest in a corner and had piles of these tablets around her.

 

“Hey, Princess, I brought dinner!”

 

She looked up. Her eyes seemed glazed over from too much reading, but they brightened at the prospect of food. “Wonderful, Hunk, thank you!”

 

He smiled and sat down across from her, taking the last plate on the tray for himself.

 

Allura didn’t dig in right away. Her face was blank while she ran her fingers over the edge of the plate.

 

“Everything okay?” Hunk asked. He took a bite. _Texture of the leaves is a little off, and it could use more seasoning next time. It’s kind of bland_.

 

“Can I ask you something, Hunk?” Allura asked. “And you have to answer me honestly. Don’t try to spare my feelings.”

 

Oh he hated when people were like this. It usually meant he was about to unintentionally hurt them because they said they could take it but then they actually couldn’t. But what could Allura possibly want to ask him?

 

“Shoot.”

 

“Do you blame me for our failure to form Voltron earlier?”

 

He blinked. “What? Why on earth would I blame you? Or I guess it would be why in space? Nah, that sounds weird.” He shook his head to clear away the tangent before it went any further.

 

Allura looked up and smiled softly at him. “Thank you, Hunk.”

 

“You’re welcome. But I still don’t understand why you thought I would have blamed you in the first place.”

 

She shrugged and looked away, reaching a hand out to pet one of the mice. “I’ve never been in a space fight like that, and I feel my inexperience with the lions was why we couldn’t connect.”

 

Hunk shook his head and put his plate down on the ground. “I think there were a lot of things contributing to our issues today. You aren’t used to Blue, and Lance and Keith aren’t used to Red and Black. And Keith isn’t used to being the leader.”

 

“Yes, but the first time you all formed Voltron you were even more inexperienced,” Allura argued. “You could hardly have been used to your lions then.”

 

“But they were our lions,” Hunk said, shaking his head again. “Keith and Lance are dealing with an old bond while trying to form a new one. And like I said, Keith is still getting used to being the leader. I don’t think he ever wanted the position.”

 

“Then why did he take it?” Allura asked, almost angry.

 

Hunk shrugged. “That’s what Shiro wanted.”

 

She huffed and crossed her arms, glaring at a stack of tablets. “That’s a silly reason to take on such responsibility.”

 

“Give him time,” Hunk said, reaching for his plate again. “He just needs to get used to it.” She still seemed angry, so Hunk decided changing the topic was the best course of action. “How’s the space magic research coming along?”

 

Allura sighed and rubbed a hand over her forehead. “I’ve read through dozens of histories, but I can’t actually find any spells or instructions.”

 

“Have the histories helped at all?” Hunk asked. He took a few more bites of his tamale.

 

Absentmindedly, Allura took a bite of her own. “I understand a little more of what I can do, but I think I’m just going to have to practice and make it up as I go.” She took another bite. “This is delicious, by the way.”

 

Hunk beamed. “Thank you.”

 

“And thank you, for taking over kitchen duties,” Allura said. “It helps to let Coran keep working on the ship without having to worry about feeding us.”

 

“Yeah, don’t want to overwork the poor guy,” Hunk said, chuckling nervously. In reality, none of the earthlings wanted to submit themselves to Coran’s cooking, but he wasn’t about to tell Allura that. He loved Coran, but that man had no sense of taste.

 

“How long have you been cooking?” Allura asked.

 

“I started as a little kid,” Hunk said, smiling fondly. “My grandma used to watch me while my parents were at work, and when my parents came to pick me up they’d stay for dinner. I got in the habit of helping her, especially when her arthritis was bad.” He thought back to all the times he’d spent in her kitchen, standing on a chair next to the counter because he was too small to see from the floor. “And then, I don’t know. I loved it. I loved how food brought people together, and how a handful of different tasting ingredients could come together and make something people loved.”

 

“That’s very sweet,” Allura said. “What’s your favorite dish to prepare?”

 

“Oh man, don’t ask me that,” Hunk wailed. How was he supposed to pick just one?

 

Allura giggled. “Sorry. I have the same problem trying to pick my favorite book.”

 

“There are just too many options,” Hunk said.

 

She nodded, still smiling. Hunk was glad he’d brightened her mood a little. It was nice to know he’d been helpful.

 

Xx

 

It was a few hours later when Hunk approached Lance’s door, a small device hidden in his hand behind his back. He couldn’t keep the grin off his face when he knocked. Lance shouted something he didn’t quite catch, but then he was opening the door a few moments later with a white face mask smeared over his face.

 

“Hey, what’s up?” Lance asked.

 

Hunk held up the device. “I know how crushed you and Pidge were that you couldn’t play that video game, so you’re awesome engineer best friend decided to make an adapter for you.”

 

Lance stared at the adapter and blinked, and then his face broke out into a grin. “Hunk, have I told you I love you and you’re amazing?”

 

“You could mention it more,” Hunk shrugged.

 

Lance took the adapter from him. “I can’t believe you actually made something so me and Pidge could play that video game.”

 

“ _What?!”_ Pidge yelled.

 

Hunk and Lance jumped, looking around. They didn’t see Pidge anywhere. Hunk had been pretty sure she was still down in her lab, actually.

 

Something banged against the ceiling above them, and then the vent just a few feet away fell to the floor and the gremlin dropped out.

 

Hunk and Lance screamed and jumped back, Lance taking shelter behind Hunk.

 

Pidge ran forward, eyes wide. “Is it true? Did you really make an adapter?”

 

“Where did you come from?” Lance demanded, looking between Pidge and the vent.

 

“What were you doing in the vents?” Hunk asked.

 

Pidge waved the question away. “Just answer me! Did you make an adapter?”

 

Lance held it up tentatively. Pidge snatched it from his hands and examined it.

 

“Oh my god. Oh my god you did. Oh my god Hunk I love you you’re the best person in the universe!” Pidge said, beaming. “Can we go try it right now?”

 

Hunk was still more than a little concerned about why Pidge had been in the vents, and a little confused at what could have made that seem like a good idea. Did she do that often? Did she just casually spy on the rest of them without them having the slightest clue?

 

“Hunk? Can we?” she asked, looking up at him with wide pleading eyes.

 

Oh no. She had the Puppy-dog face. And she did it well. This was terrible. He would never be able to say no to her again.

 

“Well I didn’t make it so we could just look at it,” Hunk said.

 

Pidge and Lance both screamed and took off like shots down the hall, heading towards the lounge where they’d left the box.

 

Something told him he was going to regret making that adapter for them. It was going to be a hassle getting them away from that game now.

 

Oh well. They hadn’t been this happy in a long time. Who was he to deny them that? He smiled while following after them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how I feel about this chapter. I don't think I write Hunk very well, but I wanted to give him time to shine. What do you think? Did I do okay?


	9. Who Needs Sanity?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maahox plots, and Shirio goes on a raid with the pirates. It goes better than expected. And then everything is just weird.

 

The cables slipped a few times when reeling Maahox’s precious creation back in. He glared at the workers each time. It was bad enough Kana had been frozen; that much cold had probably damaged her internal organs. He didn’t need incompetent men making everything worse.

 

Still, he was proud of Kana. She’d proven to be quite the opponent for Voltron. Or at least for the lions. They’d never actually formed the giant robot. He didn’t know if he should be insulted or not. The lions had flown closer to each other several times, but they’d never combined.

 

Perhaps something was wrong? Maybe they were unable to form Voltron anymore, for some reason. He’d need to discuss it with Prince Lotor.

 

But first, Kana needed his attention.

 

His creation was pulled into the hanger, a giant block of ice taking up nearly the entire room. Already puddles were starting to form under her, just from being dragged out of space. He ordered men to bring in extra heaters and anything else that could create heat.

 

While they rushed to obey him, he went to the command deck and sent a call to Prince Lotor. He did not look happy to be disturbed.

 

“What?” he demanded.

 

“I have the battle report for you,” Maahox stated.

 

Prince Lotor’s expression brightened considerably. “Oh? Do tell.”

 

“Unfortunately, they managed to escape.”

 

Annnnddd the prince was scowling again.

 

“But they were unable to destroy Kana, either,” Maahox hurried on. “They froze her, but even as we speak she is defrosting.”

 

“I don’t care how your beast is doing,” Lotor stated. “I want Voltron destroyed.”

 

“That’s another thing, sir,” Maahox said. “While all five lions were fighting, they didn’t form Voltron.”

 

Lotor was silent. “Are you telling me your creature was so pathetic they didn’t even need to-”

 

Maahox bristled, the long fins on either side of his face wiggling. “But they still couldn’t destroy her. I don’t think it was a matter of not needing to form Voltron, I think they were unable to.”

 

Lotor remained silent for some time. “What are you getting at?”

 

“For whatever reason, I think they are incapacitated. Now is the time to attack, while they are weak.”

 

“How soon can you send your beast out again?” Lotor asked.

 

“Probably two quintents, maybe less if she thaws out quickly. Shall I send her out immediately?”

 

“No,” Lotor said. “Wait until I get there. I want to watch the fight and see it for myself.”

 

“Very well, My Lord.”

 

Lotor ended the call.

 

Maahox grinned and returned to the hanger. Kana was thawing out well, but it would still take time. Perhaps he’d design some upgrades while he waited; now that he’d seen how they fight, he could create some better counters for them. Besides, they’d fought Kana and would remember her. He would have to design some new surprises for them just to catch them off guard.

 

Oh yes, Voltron would pay dearly for not taking his Kana seriously.

 

Xx

 

The morning found Shiro waiting with the advance party, but none too happy about it. He kept repeating _“I’m just doing what I have to_ ,” over and over in his mind, trying to settle the nerves in his stomach.

 

It shouldn’t bother him so much. It was a Galra ship, with nothing but Galra on it. He’d killed them before, was part of a war dedicated to killing them. But there was something drastically different when blowing up ships compared to going on board and doing it in person.

 

“You alright?” Grobtist asked. Grobtist reminded Shiro of a walking gorilla, even though the face shape was too long and narrow for it. But his body shape and the dark fur were a ringer for gorillas otherwise. The man was friendly enough, but Shiro was keeping everyone at an arm’s distance.

 

“Yeah, just nervous,” Shiro said. He kept clenching and unclenching his right hand. He wished he had the black bayard again. Any regular weapon would do, really, just something to make the attacking a little less personal. Shoving his hand through robots had always seemed a little too intimate, and he didn’t relish the idea of using it on a living creature. Machine parts were bad enough.

 

He didn’t even know what the bayard would turn into for him. He’d barely held it before he was ripped away.

 

Grobtist clapped his shoulder. “We all were on our first raids. But don’t worry. I’ll make sure you don’t die.”

 

Funny, Shiro hadn’t even been concerned about that. What did that say about him?

 

On second thought, he didn’t want to know what that said about him.

 

The raid didn’t start for another twenty minutes. During that time, their ship approached the Galra ship, shooting out thick cables with special hooks on the end, like grappling hooks, and attaching itself to their target. They lined their airlock up with the Galra airlock, deployed a boarding tunnel, and then Shiro along with the rest of the advance party charged down the tunnel and boarded the Galra ship.

 

A welcome party was waiting for them, comprised of mostly sentries. A few flesh and blood Galra were there though. Shiro focused on the sentries, shoving his purple hand through them and taking them down quickly. He lets the other pirates take out the breathing ones.

 

Reinforcements were already coming. Shiro rushed to cut them off, hand raised in front of his body.

 

That was when things got weird. The Galra in front stopped, staring at Shiro. His eyes widened.

 

“Y-you’re the Champion,” he whispered.

 

“No way!” one of the other Galra said, rushing around with a blaster. He stopped when he got a look at Shiro’s face. “Holy Quiznak it is. He’s got that scar from the vyscal fight!”

 

“Quiznak I don’t want to die!” a third one yelled, turning tail and running the other direction. The rest of the reinforcements weren’t far behind him.

 

Shiro blinked.

 

Grobtist grabbed his shoulder. “What did you say to them?” he asked.

 

“I-nothing,” Shiro said.

 

“Did they call you Champion or something?” one of the other pirates asked. Shiro couldn’t remember this one’s name or what he looked like just from his voice, and he was too stunned to move yet.

 

“Yeah…I used to be a gladiator in their slave rings.”

 

“You’re kidding,” Grobtist said.

 

Shiro shook his head.

 

“You’re _that_ Champion?” Grobtist asked.

 

Apparently rumors of him had spread farther than he’d realized. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

 

Grobtist laughed and clapped his shoulder again. “Captain’s going to have a field day with this one. Let’s get us some treasure, men!”

 

The rest of the pirates cheered. Shiro was swept up in their rush forward. They didn’t come across any more Galra, but they saw several escape pods flying away from the ship. They made it all the way to the control room, where only a few officers remained.

 

Their Captain strode in slowly, hands clasped behind her back. “Gentlemen. You can choose to fight for this measly ship and die honorably, or you can allow us to take what we want and live to see another day.”

 

Every officer glanced at Shiro before muttering their surrender.

 

The Captain did not miss the look, and she raised a brow at Shiro.

 

A few pirates rushed forward to tie the officers up, and the rest left the room to start pillaging the ship. The Captain beckoned Shiro forward.

 

“It would appear I underestimated your usefulness,” the Captain said.

 

“Believe me, I didn’t expect these guys to know who I was,” Shiro said. He was just as surprised at the turn events as the rest of them. And also a little satisfied, if he was honest with himself. It was the Galra who had turned him into this, and now he was one of their worst nightmares.

 

“But it does present us with an incredible opportunity,” the Captain said. “I’d like to renegotiate the terms of your travel with us.”

 

It was Shiro’s turn to raise a brow. “How so?”

 

“You help us on a few more raids, get them to surrender without a fight like this one, and I’ll take you to whatever planet you desire.”

 

“Really?” That was all? “Of course, I’ll take it.” Finding his way back to the others just got so much simpler. He could be back in the next two weeks, and all he’d have to do is just flash his face around and scare a couple Galra. He probably wouldn’t even have to fight them, if today was any indication.

 

The Captain smiled and jerked her head towards the door. “Now go help the others scour the ship.”

 

“Aye, aye, Captain,” Shiro said, running out of the room. The situation that had seemed so hopeless before felt a thousand times more doable now. He could practically feel Black’s cockpit around him already.

 

 _Soon, Black, I’ll be there soon_.

 

He thought he felt an answering purr in his mind, but in his excitement it could have been his own imagination. He didn’t even care. He had a way back, finally.

 

He ran up to a door, one that needed to be physically pulled open, and reached down for the handle.

 

His hand passed right through it.

 

And then, when his momentum carried him too far, his face passed through the door, too.

 

He ended up sprawled on the floor, his upper body on one side of the door and his lower body on the other.

 

Blinking, he glanced at the shut door currently splicing his body. He couldn’t even feel the door, which was probably a good thing. “That’s new.” Why was he suddenly a ghost? This didn’t make any sense. He wasn’t actually dead, right? No, he couldn’t be, everyone could see him, and multiple pirates had touched him in some way over the last few days.

 

But he’d never had a problem with solid objects like this. Somehow he doubted it was a good thing.

 

“Okay…” He pushed himself to his feet and settled on one side of the door. Hesitantly, he brought a hand up and pushed on the door. His hand met solid metal. Like it was supposed to. He tried it with his other hand, just to be sure, but again hit metal. “So I’m just crazy, okay.”

 

Had it really happened? Maybe he only thought he’d phased through the door.

 

It must be the stress. Of course he hadn’t phased through the door, that was impossible.

 

“Shiro, you okay?” Wirst asked, coming up next to him.

 

Shiro jumped in surprise. He hadn’t heard the other man’s approach. “Yeah, yeah I’m fine. A lot of excitement today, that’s all.”

 

Wirst grinned. “Actually, we were expecting a lot more. You screwed up our chance to fight all day.”

 

“Sorry about that?”

 

“I’m messing with you,” Wirst said, laughing a little. “Why don’t you grab a few loads and then head to bed early today? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He went to pat Shiro’s shoulder, but his hand passed through. “Whoops. Maybe I need to go to bed early too.” Wirst shook his head and kept walking.

 

Shiro stared after him. “I don’t know if I’ve seen one, but I’m beginning to think I might be one.”

 

There was a roar of disagreement in the back of his mind, faint, very faint, but definitely there.

 

He staggered against a wall, hands on his head. “Black?” Concentrating, he pushed his mental reach as far as he could, grasping at whatever thin links still existed between him and his lion. “Black are you there?”

 

_Not…dead…_

 

That was not his voice in his mind. It was another one, a familiar one, one he was incredibly happy to hear. It was the Black Lion.

 

“Good to hear you, girl,” Shiro whispered. He leaned his head back, and his new problem made itself apparent as he fell back through the wall altogether.

 

The weak connection he’d felt withered away, and he was decidedly alone in his head once again. He missed Black’s presence already, but it was good to know she was still there.

 

Was she connected to this new…power? Was that why he’d felt closer to her when he was using it? It hardly made any sense; it’s not like the lions could phase through solid…objects…

 

Wait.

 

The fight with Zarkon, when he got the black bayard back. So much had been happening he hadn’t questioned how he’d been able to reach through Zarkon’s suit and grab the bayard for himself. He’d just accepted the fact he got his bayard back.

 

Oh Quiznak he had done this before, with Black. This was because of Black. He could phase through solid objects because of some mystical connection with a magic robot lion. That had definitely not been on the list of Things That Could Possibly Happen When I Go to Space.

 

This was going to take some getting used to.

 

Xx

 

It didn’t take long for the pirates to pillage anything useful from the Galra ship, and soon they disembarked and went on their merry way. Emphasis on the ‘merry.’

 

The whole ship was celebrating, and while Shiro wanted nothing more than to hide in his bunk and try and meditate and connect with Black again, the crew was not having it.

 

At least they bought his lie about roflum, their version of alcohol, being poisonous to his species…the last thing he needed on top of everything else was being drunk. With his luck and new ability, he’d probably disappear right through the floor.

 

“So how’d you escape?” one of the crew asked him. He couldn’t remember this one’s name.

 

“Yeah,” Lers chimed in. “Let’s hear it!”

 

Well that was dangerous territory. How to explain this without revealing the Blade of Marmora…

 

“It’s not that exciting,” Shiro said, trying to wave it away.

 

“Aw, c’mon!” Grobtist said. “You escaped the empire! Not just anyone can say that, you know.”

 

“Tell the story!”

 

“Let’s hear it!”

 

Soon the whole crew was chanting for the story, and before Shiro knew it he was pushed up onto a table.

 

“Guys, seriously, it’s not that exciting,” he laughed. It felt a lot like the time he’d returned from his first off-world mission. He was the first one in his class to actually go off-world, and they’d wanted the whole story then too. But it was just a routine trip to the space station outside Mars, nothing fancy. It didn’t matter, though. The guys in the cafeteria had done the same thing to him, chanting for a second-by-second recap.

 

And just like back in the Garrison, the pirate crew before him had handed over their complete attention.

 

He sighed. Might as well go along with it and make it sound interesting, right?

 

“Alright, alright. I’d been taken off the gladiator circuit and sent to the druids. They took my arm and gave me this.” He never did find out why, beyond cruel curiosity. “Just a few days later, I was strapped down to another table. I didn’t know what they were planning, but the orderly knocked away the sentry with the drugs to knock me out, and then he sent the sentries away. Before they left the room, he destroyed them. Turns out he was part of the resistance.” He didn’t have to mention which resistance, that would work. “He caused a distraction while I ran for the escape pod.”

 

Shiro shrugged. He got knocked out when the pod launched, so that was the end of the story. It sounded even less exciting when he said it out loud.

 

From the looks being passed around the crew, he guessed they felt the same. If he could tell them about Voltron, he’d be able to tell them some really great stories. But he didn’t want to risk it. They were still pirates; they might decide handing him over was a better reward than having him lead a few raids.

 

And he doubted he’d be so lucky to have another rebel able to help him escape.

 

Of course, with his apparent ghost powers, prison cells probably weren’t a problem. This might actually be the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

 

He missed a joke someone said, but it had half the crew laughing. It was a good enough distraction for him to climb down from the table and slip away, though. Now that his mind was on his ghost power again, he just wanted to be able to figure it out. Maybe connect with Black. Maybe they’d be able to re-establish their bond to the point where she could come after him, the way Red had for Keith.

 

His room wasn’t too far from the party, but it was abandoned and the hum of the engine drowned out the sound of the crew. That was all he wanted.

 

He sat cross legged on the floor, closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths. _Alright Black, I know you’re there. Work with me here_. Opening his mind was still a weird concept, but he tried his best to search the corners of his thoughts, looking for that thread that led to the Black Lion.

 

It was faint, barely there. He couldn’t get a good grasp on it.

 

But he’d felt it so clearly, earlier. Maybe it was stronger when he used the ability? Worth a shot, at any rate.

 

He twisted and placed his hand on the bunk next to him. Digging down again, he tried to push his hand through the bed while also reaching for that faint tether to Black.

 

A purr, a sense of relief. And…fire? And anger and fear. That wasn’t Black. It wasn’t him either. So where were these emotions coming from? Who…

 

Keith.

 

The answer made him smile. Keith had bonded with Black. He was leading Voltron, like Shiro had asked. That was good. They’d be okay then. Keith would never let anything happen to any of them. He was too protective of his friends; it just took a while for him to consider someone a friend. But once the label was there, Keith would travel the universe for them.

 

Shiro would know.

 

Still smiling, he leaned back against the bed and relaxed, letting go of the death grip he had on the mental connection. It felt like some of the pressure was off. Now that he knew Keith was taking care of the others, he didn’t feel the pressing need to get back to the others. He still wanted to, god did he want to, but it was no longer the life-or-death situation he’d been suffocating under since waking up in the middle of nowhere.

 

“Thank you, Keith.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you laughing? Because I'm laughing hysterically at those last paragraphs. Oh, if only Shiro knew...


	10. Paladins, Meet Space Inigo Montoya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I make the fandom's dreams come true in regards to a meeting between Lance and Lotor. And there's some Lance and Allura platonic bonding as well. Enjoy.

Just about everything was ready. Lotor had taken command of a small fleet and they’d spent the last two quintents preparing for a long voyage. Food was stored, the ship was fueled, and Lotor was impatiently waiting for approval to leave.

 

The only reason he didn’t have approval was because Hagger wanted to speak with him. He hadn’t the slightest idea about what, but he stood just outside the hanger with his arms crossed waiting. They could have taken off a varga ago if she hadn’t held everything up.

 

Time continued to drag by with no sign of the druid. Lotor was ready to just leave regardless of wanted she wanted. He hated the command ship. He always had; it was why he’d left to govern a colony instead of staying here as his father’s second in command.

 

Well, it would have been more like third, if he was being honest with himself. Anything Hagger had to say would have been viewed as more important than his thoughts. His father had practically doted on that witch, something Lotor had never understood. She’d always given him the creeps.

 

 _Finally_ the witch in question showed herself. With her long robes, it looked like she floated down the hall towards him.

 

“Prince Lotor,” she greeted, inclining her head when she drew nearer.

 

“Hagger,” Lotor replied. “This better be important. You’ve delayed our departure by an entire varga.”

 

She sneered, eyes narrowed in controlled rage. “My apologies, you’re Highness. Emperor Zarkon requires constant attention; I dare not leave his side for very long.”

 

The information surprised him, and he felt fear taking root in his gut. He hadn’t realized his father’s condition was that bad. Hagger had given him the impression she was intentionally keeping Zarkon unconscious while they dealt with Voltron, but then as soon as that was done he’d be perfectly fine.

 

“Well then you better make this quick, so you can return to him,” Lotor snapped. Zarkon may have been a joke of a father, but he was still the only father Lotor had ever known. He was the emperor of the greatest empire the universe had ever known. Losing him would be disastrous.

 

“You could show a little more gratitude, brat,” Hagger said.

 

Lotor raised a brow. They both knew that wasn’t going to happen.  


“I have some advice to help you with Voltron.”

 

“How magnanimous of you,” Lotor stated. What advice could she possibly have? Nothing she’d ever tried worked. That was why _he_ had to go deal with them.

 

“They are quick and can be hard to pin down,” Hagger said. “You could spend weeks just chasing them around the universe.”

 

“I’ve developed a way of tracking them,” Lotor said. He turned to leave.

 

“Just because you can find them does not mean they’ll stay and fight,” Hagger said, her voice rising.

 

Lotor paused and looked over his shoulder.

 

“If you want to force them into confrontation, you must give them something to protect. You can even arrange it so they’ll come straight to you,” Hagger said.

 

“You’re suggesting I threaten random planets?”

 

“You’ll have to do more than threaten,” Hagger said. “Destroy the planets. Voltron will come running right into your hands.”

 

Destroy entire planets? For the sole purpose of drawing Voltron out of hiding? Is that what they’d been doing this whole time? The thought made him sick. How many planets had been destroyed like this? How many innocent lives lost?

 

“Don’t give me that look,” Hagger said. “You don’t have the luxury to chase them all across the universe.”

 

Meaning she couldn’t keep his father alive forever; he’d have to deal with Voltron quickly. Of course, she was just thinking of the greater good. Lotor needed to end this as fast as possible, and that was the way to do it. Better for the empire to have its emperor than suffer under the transition of a new ruler, even if that meant a few planets were destroyed.

 

That was what being the ruler was like. If Hagger and Zarkon had done this in the past, it was because they had to. They’d made the hard choices for the greater good.

 

He didn’t know if he could bring himself to commit the same crimes, but he understood it.

 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Lotor said. “Is there anything else?”

 

“No,” Hagger said, turning around herself to go back to Zarkon. “Vrepit Sa, Prince Lotor.”

 

“Vrepit Sa,” Lotor muttered. He stormed into the hanger a moment later, startling his waiting crew into action.

 

Xx

 

The castle was tucked away in the center of three planets, utilizing the same trick the Galra had on their secret base to keep themselves hidden from long range scanners. This gave them time to finish repairs and get some more training in.

 

Lance, for one, was ecstatic about training right now. He was piloting Red, which on its own was fun because of how much faster she was, but he was doing it while Allura flew Blue. And it was just the two of them out there, weaving around an asteroid field. Pidge was wrapped up in a project trying to find the rebels who saved her brother, Keith decided to forgo flying and focus on meditating with Black, and the others were all working on repairs.

 

Lance couldn’t have asked for anything better.

 

He dived under an asteroid and barrel rolled out of the way of another, never once letting up on the accelerator. He loved Blue, he did, and he missed her dearly, but he’d never have been able to pull that off in her.

 

Red felt very smug around him.

 

He rolled his eyes and carved a path through the floating rocks. “Yeah, yeah, you’re incredible,” he muttered. “Guess this explains Keith’s ‘amazing’ pilot abilities.”

 

That smug feeling turned vaguely threatening, and he got the impression Red wasn’t afraid to eject him into empty space if he kept this up.

 

Lance tightened his grip on the controls ever so slightly. “Oh come on, it’s just a passing observation. Seriously, all those cool moves he was always doing, I always put that down to his raw talent. Now I see it’s just because he had an amazing lion.” It was an…interesting, observation to say the least. It was making him look at Keith in a whole new light.

 

Red felt wary now, like she couldn’t decide to be insulted on Keith’s behalf or proud of the compliment Lance was giving her.

 

Honestly, Red and Keith were a match made in heaven. Her reactions always matched what he imagined Keith’s reaction to be.

 

He heard Allura grunt through the comms, and he checked the monitor quickly to make sure she was okay. She usually was; turned out Allura was like a tennis player, always grunting with every difficult maneuver she pulled off. It was kind of cute.

 

He also really wanted to see her play their video game; he had a feeling she’d be the type to twist and jump around while playing, shouting loudly at the same time. It would be hilarious.

 

“Everything okay, princess?” Lance asked. He slowed to a stop and turned back to watch her.

 

She swerved around a rock and narrowly avoided another one, letting out a long keen in the process.

 

Lance couldn’t quite stifle his laughter fast enough.

 

“What?” she demanded.

 

“Nothing, nothing,” Lance said, grin evident in his voice. “I just didn’t take you for the grunting type.”

 

Blue came to a jerky stop in front of him. Allura gave him a long, hard look on the screen. “Is that one of your come-ons?”

 

“Uh, no actually,” he said. “I could make it one, if you wanted.” It would fall under the type he usually avoided, the ones that seemed just a tad inappropriate and creepy. But if it was being asked for, who was he to resist?

 

“No, thank you,” Allura said. “I’ve been enjoying this just as it is.”

 

“Yeah…you, me, the stars, it’s pretty great,” Lance agreed. This one-on-one time with her was amazing, even if they were technically training.

 

She sighed. “How about a race?”

 

“A race?”

 

“Yes. First one to that moon wins,” she said.

 

“Uh, are you sure that’s fair? Red is a faster lion.” He didn’t want to just leave her in the dust.

 

“Confident, are we?” she asked.

 

“I’m just saying, Red is naturally faster and more agile. No offense to Blue, of course, they’re just built differently.”

 

“Uh-huh,” she said. She had a peculiar grin on her face. Lance wasn’t sure he’d ever seen it before. “In that case, you won’t mind me taking a head-start!”

 

Blue shot past him before her words sunk in.

 

“Wha- _Allura_!” He was shocked. Scandalized. Wounded. His princess, his noble, diplomatic, more perfect in her worst moments than he was in his best, _was cheating_.

 

 _And she was laughing about it_.

 

“Better hurry if you still want to win!” she taunted.

 

“Oh it’s on!” Lance announced, shoving the thrusters to full power. The first few ticks were a blur of spinning over and under rocks, catching up to Blue.

 

Allura jerked in front of an asteroid and hit it back towards Lance.

 

He squawked and pulled up short, using Red’s blasters to destroy it before they crashed.

 

“Allura! That’s cheating!” Lance wailed.

 

“We never said we couldn’t!” she said.

 

He growled and shot forward again. She kept up a barrage of asteroids, even a few ice blasts, doing everything she could to impede Lance’s progress.

 

And to his ever-growing frustration, it was working. He kept having to make hair-pin corrections or come to a stop altogether when cornered by the rocks, giving Allura the chance she needed to grow her lead. But at the same time, constantly throwing stuff back at Lance was slowing Allura down herself.

 

“I thought you were going to win?” she called. “I thought you said it wouldn’t even be fair because you would be so much faster.”

 

“And I would be if _someone_ wasn’t _cheating!_ ” Lance retorted, flying high over the latest attack.

 

She only laughed in response.

 

Red growled in Lance’s mind. “Yeah, I agree, buddy,” Lance said. They stayed high and Lance punched the throttle again. He had milliseconds to dodge asteroids and avoid collisions, and admittedly he didn’t miss all of them.

 

But he overtook Allura and beat her to the moon, and that was all that mattered.

 

When Blue pulled up, Allura was still laughing.

 

Lance felt his cheeks reddening. Why was she laughing now? What was so funny?

 

“That was most enjoyable,” Allura said, laughter finally fading. “Thank you.”

 

“My pleasure, I guess,” Lance said, still confused about the whole thing.

 

She angled the Blue Lion so they were next to each other, facing the same direction. “This is what I always imagined having a little brother would be like. Are your sibling relationships on Earth like this?”

 

It was like he’d been shot and stomped on all at once. This was worse than the Friend-Zone. He was being Brother-Zoned. How could she compare their relationship to that of siblings? He’d thought he’d made his intentions quite clear. What else did she want him to do?

 

Or did things work differently on Altea? Had his flirting actually been a sign for something else in her culture? Oh that would just be embarrassing. He’d never be able to live it down. He’d never be able to show his face in public again.

 

“Lance?” Allura asked.

 

Right. She’d asked him a question. He should answer that.

 

Red huffed in amusement.

 

“Uh, I mean I guess a little?” Lance said. “My siblings and I got into competitions like this all the time, and we’d all be trying to cheat to win.”

 

“How many siblings do you have?”

 

“One older sister and a younger brother and sister,” Lance replied.

 

“What was it like growing up with them?” Allura asked.

 

Lance couldn’t place the look on her face. It was partially curious, but it also seemed a little sad. He didn’t know why that would be.

 

“Loud and chaotic,” Lance said. He went on for a bit about how there was always noise, be it the TV or someone’s music or just yelling. In his younger years he was always being dragged around somewhere, be it a sibling’s function or one of his own. That was where a lot of their bonding happened, when they were stuck in a car waiting for someone to finish soccer practice or ballet class.

 

“It sounds wonderful,” Allura said. “I wish I’d had siblings like yours.”

 

“I wasn’t always grateful for it, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the universe,” Lance said. Homesickness washed through him, more than familiar by now. “What was growing up on Altea like?”

 

“It sounds a lot lonelier compared to yours,” she admitted. “But maybe that’s because I’m a princess. I didn’t grow up in the city with everyone, and I was limited on the times I could play with my friends. There was just so much to do, you see, so much to learn. Coran and my father did their best to make sure I was never unhappy though, and they were always there for me. But I always wished I’d had a brother or sister to play in the castle with.”

 

“Being royalty does sound a lot lonelier,” Lance said. He was gaining a new understanding of the princess, of this amazing person trying so hard her entire life to be the very best she could be, but growing up with people at a distance because of it. And maybe some of that loneliness was still there. She was still a princess, still a head above the rest of the paladins, and they did tend to treat her a little differently than they did each other.

 

Maybe…maybe being a little brother to her wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe she’d appreciate that more. He could still be close to her, this way. And if he stopped flirting, the dirty looks and immediate cold shoulder would stop, too.

 

Yeah, this could be a good thing.

 

“Well, we should probably be heading back,” Allura said.

 

“Oh, yeah. It’s probably lunch time by now,” Lance said. “And I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

 

“Whether it’s lunch time or not when we get back we’re still eating lunch,” she declared.

 

Lance laughed. “Yes ma’am.”

 

They didn’t exactly race through the asteroids this time, but they did make a game out of ducking and weaving around the rocks. Until they caught sight of another ship, that is.

 

“Wait, what’s that?” Lance asked, landing on an asteroid to get a better look at it.

 

Allura hovered and followed Red’s line of sight. “That’s…it looks like a Galra ship.”

 

“They found us? How the Quiznak did they find us? I thought we were supposed to be hidden out here!”

 

“We were!” Allura said. “They shouldn’t have been able to track us!”

 

Lance was on the verge of panicking. They were pretty far from the others, so if a fight was about to break out they might be in trouble. It would be easy for them to get sucked into a tractor beam and be captured and then he and Allura would be tortured and it would suck and he really needed to calm down before his imagination went any further.

 

“What do we do? Should we run for it or should we try and fight?” Lance asked. _Please say run, please say run._

 

“I…I don’t know,” Allura said. “I’m not sure they actually know we’re here.”

 

“How can they not know we’re here?” Lance demanded. “Why else would they be here?”

 

“They could have been hoping to hide in the planets’ interference as well,” Allura said. “But they haven’t sent out any ships to come after us yet, which is why I’m not sure they know we’re here.”

 

“Okay, even if they hadn’t come here specifically to attack us, wouldn’t we have shown up on their radar by now?” Lance asked.

 

Allura was cut off from answering when an incoming transmission appeared on their screens.

 

They shared a look on their private monitors. “Do we answer?” Lance whispered.

 

Determination set into her face and she answered the call. Lance was quick to do the same so he could hear it too.

 

A Galra showed up on their screen. His face was smooth lilac, and the same pure yellow eyes glared out at them. He had the same kind of pointed ears Ulaz had had, but instead of a bare scalp he had long lavender hair pulled into a ponytail behind his head.

 

He wasn’t that ugly-looking, for a Galra, Lance thought. If you ignored the ears and purple skin, he could be human. A very attractive human.

 

“Paladins of Voltron, I presume?” the Galra said.

 

Lance had the childish urge to retort “Who wants to know?” but he didn’t think Allura would appreciate that. Besides, they were in their lions. It was pretty obvious they were paladins.

 

“That is correct,” Allura said. “And who do we have the pleasure of addressing?”

 

“I am Prince Lotor, heir to the Galra Empire,” he announced.

 

Heir? Did that mean they had succeeded in killing Zarkon before?

 

Allura seemed to have the same idea. “I take it that means our attack the other day was successful.”

 

Lotor’s mouth pulled back in a snarl, revealing sharp fangs.

 

 _Heh, he’s like a vampire_ , Lance thought. And then he had to try _really_ hard to keep from laughing. He didn’t want to have to explain to Lotor or Allura why he was laughing in the middle of their very tense conversation. He just wouldn’t breathe. It would be fine.

 

Lotor took a moment to compose himself, but the sneer didn’t quite leave his face. “Despite your hostility, I am willing to accept your surrender.”

 

Okay, Lance couldn’t keep his laughter in anymore. To be fair though, Allura had thrown a hand over her face to stifle her own laughter as well.

 

Their new friend didn’t like that. His growl sobered them up pretty quickly. “Do not be so hasty, paladins. You nearly killed my father and you have shamed the Empire. You should be thankful I’m willing to accept surrender at all instead of simply killing you here and now.”

 

“Yeah, right,” Lance said. “Big talk for a guy with only one ship. We practically took down your _command_ ship, you think you stand a chance against us?”

 

Lotor turned his attention to Lance for the first time, mouth open to retort with his own trash talk, but it snapped close with an audible _clack_. His cheeks and the bridge of his nose turned a darker shade of purple.

 

Lance shared a confused glance with Allura on their private monitors. Was Lotor blushing?

 

Lotor raised a fist to his mouth and cleared his throat. “The only reason you could cause so much damage before was because my father wanted to capture Voltron. That is no longer our goal. And seeing as how you _didn’t_ destroy Central Command, I fail to see any actual threat in your words.”

 

“Would you like us to prove how dangerous we are?” Allura asked.

 

“If you wish to die today, be my guest,” Lotor said. “But if you wish to live, I’ll still accept your surrender. I’ll even spare your lives if the blue one agrees to become my concubine.”

 

Wait, what? Lance actually heard a record scratch in his own mind while he tried to process what had just been said.

 

“Excuse me?” Allura demanded.

 

“I said I would spare your lives if he agreed to be my concubine,” Lotor said. The dark purple on his face spread, reaching his ears now.

 

Lance blinked, his mind still struggling to reboot.

 

Was Lotor…was he being _hit on_ right now? Was this actually happening? By a _Galra_? A Galra was hitting on him. That was a thing. A shudder traveled all the way up his body and he visibly cringed. He felt nauseous. He was going to throw up.

 

Allura growled, dragging Lance out of his own thoughts. She pushed Blue forward and slightly in front of Red. “We do not accept!” she shouted. “We will never surrender and you will never have Lance!”

 

“Lance…that’s a wonderful name,” Lotor purred, still looking at Lance.

 

The nausea grew.

 

Allura screamed and opened fire on the Galra ship. It didn’t take long for their ship to return fire, but Allura was able to duck and weave perfectly. The fighter ships deployed and circled the Blue lion.

 

That was enough to shake Lance out of his stupor and join the fight. That and the loud growl from Red.

 

“Allura to Castle, we need back-up!” she yelled.

 

It took Lance a moment to realize she’d opened another channel back to the Castle. His mind was still out of sorts, and he was trying to focus more on shooting Galra ships. It seemed a little more important right now.

 

“There’s a Galra ship out here!” Allura continued.

 

“ _Allura, hang on, we’re on the way!”_ Keith replied.

 

Lance shot some magma beams at the fighter ships. After so many battles, the little drone ships were more a nuisance than anything else. He left the rest to Allura and turned his attention to the warship. The ion cannon turned to aim at him and Allura.

 

Those _stupid_ ion cannons. Lance hated them.

 

Red agreed, magnifying his hate. He followed her mental prodding and pressed a new button; a giant blast shot from Red’s back, tearing through the ion cannon and blasting it to smithereens.

 

He blinked. Where had _that_ come from? Had Keith known about this? Had he been holding out on them this whole time?

 

Red growled _Later_ at him, reminding him they were still in the middle of a fight.

 

He shook his head and shot a few magma streams at the warship. Red didn’t have the power for another laser blast again; it seemed like that one was fueled more on emotion, and Lance’s anger had given way to confusion.

 

Allura finished up the rest of the drone ships and turned Blue to the warship. The other lions came up on their radar, approaching fast.

 

They apparently came up on Lotor’s radar as well. “It appears we’ll need to finish this discussion later. Until we meet again, dear Lance,” he said, blowing a kiss to the screen before the transmission ended.

 

Why had it even still been up? Why hadn’t they ended that as soon as they started attacking? Oh Lance felt queasy again.

 

The other lions came up next to Red and Blue, but the Galra ship was already slipping into warp drive and disappearing.

 

“ _Lance, Allura, you guys okay?”_ Pidge asked.

 

“I’m gonna be sick,” Lance announced. “Oh man that was awful. I can’t believe he was hitting on me! Is that what people feel like when I flirt with them? Quiznak I’m never flirting again.”

 

“ _Uh…Allura? Little help?”_  Keith asked. He led the way back to the Castle. Lance distantly noted he wasn’t in his armor; he’d probably just taken off straight from the hanger as soon as Allura called for backup.

 

“That was Prince Lotor, Zarkon’s heir,” she spat. “He asked us to surrender, and then said he would spare our lives if Lance became his concubine.” The venom in her voice was practically lethal.

 

“ _What_?” they all asked.

 

“ _Are you serious?”_ Pidge asked. She grinned, the little gremlin. “ _Oh man that’s priceless._ ”

 

“No, that’s awful,” Lance corrected. “Gah I feel dirty. I need to bathe in acid or something, holy Quiznak.” It was a good thing he’d already decided to stop flirting with Allura. He didn’t think he’d be able to even if he wanted to, not after this. Man he hoped he hadn’t made people feel like this when he flirted with them. He’d had no idea being the recipient could feel like this.

 

“ _So if that was Zarkon’s heir, does that mean we did beat Zarkon?”_ Keith asked.

 

How typical of him to brush Lance’s suffering aside, Lance thought. Of course, the distraction was nice. He was ready to stop thinking of that despicable experience.

 

“Not entirely,” Allura answered. “It sounds like we incapacitated him pretty badly, but he’s still alive.”

 

“ _Damn. That’s too bad_ ,” Pidge said.

 

Lance agreed. It was also a shame Lotor hadn’t been on the command ship and suffered a fatal injury in their attack.

 

Just the thought of the prince made him shudder. Yeah, he was going to take like five showers when they got back. Maybe even jump in the decontamination chamber.

 

The others kept discussing what this new development might mean, but Lance had tuned them out. He was too busy rethinking all his life choices at the moment. He’d care about defending the universe after his existential crisis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so self-indulgent and I'm not even sorry. 
> 
> Don't forget to leave comments! Feedback of any kind is guaranteed to make me write faster, which means faster updates for all of you!


	11. Moon Landings and Nature Bending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge gets the biggest lead on her brother she's ever had, and the team follow it through. While meditating with Green, Pidge discovers something else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I kind of had a little fun creating alien names, but I'm not sure if pronunciation will be a problem or not. So this is how I imagined them being pronounced:
> 
> Gupthe: Goop-te  
> Ylivan: Ill-e-von  
>  Twygip: Twi-gep  
> Arvidia: Ar-vid-e-a
> 
> You may ignore this if you wish, it doesn't ultimately matter if you pronounce it the same way I do, but I know I like to know how names are supposed to be said. (I'm going to put it in the end notes as well, just in case you'd rather scroll down when you meet the aliens or whatever)

The sound of clacking keys was a comfort, something to hold onto during the long hours of work. She lost feeling in her fingers a few hours ago, and at this point her eyes were only open because of sheer force of will. She couldn’t tell if her shaking was from too much caffeine or not enough sleep. A combination of the two was most likely.

 

But she’d had a breakthrough, and she wasn’t about to quit now, not when she was so close. Nothing could tear her away from this computer.

 

Footsteps outside her lab made her jump, and then she scowled at her screen and hunkered in on herself. They’d have to pry this laptop from her cold, dead fingers if they wanted her to leave right now.

 

“Pidge?” Keith asked as he stepped into the room.

 

“Unless you’re bringing me more coffee, get out,” Pidge said. She didn’t want a distraction right now. A few more lines of code and her tracker would be done.

 

“Pidge.” He stepped up next to her.

 

“Keith.”

 

“ _Pidge.”_

 

“ _Keith_.” What did he want? She was busy. She didn’t have time for this game.

 

“When was the last time you slept?” He asked.

 

“Right before I woke up,” she stated.

 

His face twisted and he dragged a hand over his eyes, taking a long breath.

 

She smirked. She was proud of that one; Lance would have approved, too.

 

“Okay, we’ll ignore that,” Keith said, his voice carefully controlled.

 

She only listened with half an ear. She was almost done, and then her special tracker would be ready for testing, and then hopefully she would have found Matt. Keith wasn’t about to make her go _anywhere_.

 

“Pidge, you need sleep. What if we’re attacked? You need to be at your best, and heavily sleep-deprived is not your best.”

 

She snorted. “Like you’re one to talk. You think I haven’t noticed all the times you walk past my lab in the middle of the night checking up on me?”

 

Pink dusted his cheeks. “This isn’t about me.”

 

“Keith, I have two more lines of code before I’m ready to test this tracker. Can you shut up for like five minutes?”

 

“What are you making a tracker for? Don’t we have those already?” he asked.

 

“I said shut up.”

 

He frowned and crossed his arms, but ultimately indulged her and kept quiet while she finished the last two lines. If she weren’t so impatient, she’d go back over her work and check for errors now, but that would take at least two vargas and she’d miss stuff from exhaustion right now, which meant she’d have to sleep first and push that off for a good five vargas. She wasn’t about to wait seven vargas.

 

She ran the tracker and sat back. If it didn’t work, she’d find out. But she tended to catch a lot of errors while she worked and she trusted her work.

 

While the tracker ran, she half-turned to a still waiting Keith. “If you must know, this tracker is specially designed to only search for a particular frequency on particular cloaking devices.”

 

He furrowed his brow. “And why are you trying to find particular cloaking devices?”

 

She grinned and pulled up a separate window on her computer. There was a video-clip paused, three distinct figures halted mid-step. Two of the figures were strangers, but the third was her brother. She hit play and kept talking while Keith watched.

 

“I found the planet this took place on and downloaded a longer version from their security cameras, and then I jumped around to a few other cameras until I found where they went; they took off in an old pod, and they cloaked themselves almost as soon as they took off. So I hacked into scans of the planet around the time of the escape and I found a disturbance in the scan; cloaking devices utilize a mix of radio signals and special light waves, making more of a camouflage than a cloak, really, but anyway it’s a unique frequency.”

 

“So you figured you could pinpoint the frequency that caused the disturbance and track where the signal went,” Keith surmised.

 

“Yep,” Pidge said. She paused the video again and switched back to her tracker window. A little caricature of her head was spinning while it searched. Lance had originally doodled the caricature during class at the Garrison one day, and when the three of them were studying for a test she’d seen it. He’d tried to hide it at first, but she’d thought it was adorable and asked for a copy for herself.

 

Lance would never admit he had any talent for drawing, something Pidge would never understand, but she liked his artwork. He didn’t draw realistically, he had a cartoony style, but it was very Lance and she hoarded the little pictures he’d done for her over the years.

 

“And how long will it take for the tracker to work?” Keith asked.

 

She shrugged. “Could be minutes, could be hours, I guess. I don’t know.”

 

He nodded, like he’d expected this answer. Pidge narrowed her eyes. She had a feeling she knew what he was about to say.

 

“You should get some sleep while it works then.”

 

Yep, that was what she’d guessed he’d say. And the answer was no. “Not a chance. I’m the closest I’ve ever been to finding my brother, you can’t expect me to sleep right now.”

 

“Pidge, you need sleep-”

 

“Don’t you of all people go lecturing me about sleep,” she stated. “Why don’t we talk about the real reason your down here at whatever time it is in the morning.”

 

“This isn’t about me,” Keith said. “I’m trying to make sure—”

 

“I never asked you to look after me.”

 

“You don’t have to, I—”

 

“Why don’t you just admit that the only reason you’ve been checking up on me is because it’s what Shiro did?” Pidge said. She didn’t know why she was suddenly so angry. Exhaustion definitely played some part, and she’d admittedly been on edge ever since Shiro disappeared.

 

His mouth snapped close.

 

“You’re just trying to replace him, and honestly you’re doing a shit job at it!” Logically, she knew she was just lashing out. But she was caught in the storm of her emotions and it felt good to just yell at someone right now, to blame someone for all her problems. Keith was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. “We can’t even form Voltron anymore because you can’t freaking bond with your freaking lion! A bond, which, might I add, would help us find Shiro anyway!”

 

 _That_ had been hitting below the belt, and Pidge regretted it immediately. But she was too fired up to take any of it back now that it had been said. She wasn’t exactly wrong.

 

Keith’s jaw locked and he looked somewhere off to the side. His breathing was strictly controlled, and when he spoke his voice was quiet. “I know. I know it’s all my fault and I’m sorry. I just need a little more time.”

 

His gaze cut back over to her, and Pidge was shocked to see them shining with unshed tears.

 

 _Quiznak_ she’d gone way too far. She needed to fix this. She wasn’t even that angry in the first place; they’d all been messed up since Shiro went missing, and Keith had been the closest to him. The poor guy hadn’t even really had time to adjust, thrown right into trying to lead in Shiro’s absence. And he wasn’t doing _that_ bad. He could just be doing a lot better, too. But it’s not like she could have done better in his place.

 

“Keith,” she started. She was cut off by an alert on her computer. She glanced at it quickly, expecting it to be something failing in her coding.

 

It wasn’t an error message though.

 

It was a success message.

 

“Oh my god,” she gasped, grabbing the screen in both hands and reading the results. The image of a planet or a moon or something was rotating gently, a dialogue box pointing to the specific point on the planet that the tracker had found. “Oh my god, Keith, it worked!”

 

She turned to him, a mix of laughing and crying.

 

He looked incredulously at the screen, and then he smiled softly at her. “That’s great. I’ll, um, I’ll go wake up the others, so we can tell them.”

 

She nodded. “We’re going, right?”

 

He hesitated. “We’ll see what the others say.”

 

She narrowed her eyes into a deadly glare.

 

He held up his hands and stood up, backing away towards the door. “Not a decision I’m going to make on my own.”

 

“Well you’re the leader so order Allura to steer the ship here!”

 

He winced, and she was rudely reminded of everything she’d just said to him.

 

“Wait, Keith, I still need to apologize-”

 

“I’ll see you on the control deck.” And then he ran.

 

She sighed and rubbed her forehead. This was why she preferred computers. Her exhausted shouting didn’t hurt their feelings and leave her with bigger problems.

 

She looked back at the screen, at the planet highlighted, and couldn’t help the giddiness rising in her.

 

Xx

 

While everyone had been a little upset at the rude awakening (And Lance made sure to grumble about it very loudly) they were all ecstatic when Pidge told them the news.

 

(Keith stood as far away as socially possible, and she tried to ignore how much that hurt).

 

Allura and Hunk brought up a few points about why going to this planet was a bad idea, but in the end it was unanimous they go check it out. No one was about to deny Pidge this lead on her family, even if it did go sour.

 

She bounced in her seat while Allura summoned a wormhole. Even the fastest way to travel still felt like it took too long. She still hadn’t had more coffee, but she didn’t need it anymore. She was wide awake.

 

The moon they were headings to was supposedly abandoned. From space, it looked like a green marble.

 

“Not exactly what I think of when I think of a moon,” Lance commented.

 

“You didn’t think all moons were just barren rocks, did you?” Coran asked, chuckling. “No, the only difference between planets and moons is what they orbit!”

 

“I knew that,” Lance insisted, crossing his arms.

 

Pidge couldn’t care less. “Do you see a place to land? Should we take the lions? Is there anyone we can send a message to?”

 

“Searching for signals now,” Coran said.

 

“This place is incredible,” Hunk said. He’d pulled up images from the planet’s surface and was browsing through the terrain. It looked like a jungle, with giant trees overlapping one another. He paused on a golden structure, some kind of pyramid that was crumbling apart. “Huh. Who’d have guessed that pyramids were universal?”

 

Cool and interesting, and she’d care about it later. Pidge just wanted to land already and look around.

 

“I still can’t seem to get in touch with anyone,” Coran started, “but this seems like a decent enough place to land.” He was referring to a wide open space next to one of the ruins.

 

“Take us down,” Allura instructed.

 

Pidge glanced at Keith, standing halfway between the black chair and the red one. His gaze was trained on the big screens in front of them all. Just looking at him, no one would ever guess anything was wrong. She could almost make herself believe that he hadn’t actually been hurt by what she’d said. But his voice, quiet and broken, still echoed in her head.

 

At some point today, she needed to apologize and have a long conversation with him.

 

But first things first; Coran was landing the Castle.

 

“We should suit up to meet them,” Keith said, “just in case they’re anything like the Blade of Marmora.”  

 

It didn’t hurt to be safe, but she cursed the few minutes she spent shimmying into her armor. “Can we go now?” she asked, coming back into the control deck with everyone else.

 

“Yes, let’s go,” Allura said. “With any luck, we may even gain some new allies today.”

 

Blah, blah, blah, Pidge thought. She led the way through the castle, her heart pounding. This could be it. Her brother could be on this planet.

 

Outside the ship, the air was sticky and humid. The gravity felt just a little stronger than what she was used to. Wildlife chirped and hummed around them.

 

“So…where’s the welcome party?” Lance asked. He and Keith both had their bayards out, but not activated.

 

“Maybe we need to go inside?” Hunk asked.

 

“They might not be here at all,” Allura said. “We only landed here because of the castle’s size.”

 

Okay, that was valid, Pidge supposed. But something about the crumbling pyramid felt off, like it hadn’t crumbled because of age. Like someone had done it deliberately to make it seem like no one was inside.

 

This was the right place, she was sure of it.

 

They spread out a little, calling out to try and catch anyone’s attention. It didn’t seem to work at first. They turned back to each other, shrugging and shaking their heads.

 

And then a blaster shot landed perfectly between Hunk’s feet. He jumped and pulled out his bayard; Keith and Lance activated theirs. Pidge summoned hers and activated it all at once, turning to face their attacker.

 

“Consider that a warning shot!” someone declared.

 

“Where are they?” Keith asked, slowly backing up towards the others.

 

Pidge hastily scanned their surroundings. Trees, trees, crumbling pyramid, Castle ship, trees again, pyramid _wait_. There was someone on the pyramid, almost hidden behind a broken step. The metal blaster stood out from the beige rock, though.

 

“There!” Pidge said, pointing up to them. The others gathered around here, a united front.

 

Whoever it was stepped out into plain view, blaster still raised and trained on them. “Who are you?” he asked.

 

“We’re the paladins of Voltron,” Allura said, stepping forward. She kept her staff angled behind her body and gripped it loosely in one hand. “We thought there might be a Galra resistance here we could ally with.”

 

Pidge bit her tongue. That was _not_ why they were here, but it was probably more likely to get them to talk. At least it better.

 

“Voltron, really?” the guy asked, voice getting higher and blaster getting lower. All at once he raised the gun again. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”

 

“Well that’s easy enough to prove,” Lance said. “We’ll just get the lions out here.”

 

The paladins glanced at each other, grinning, and nodded. They didn’t even need to go back to the castle; the lions jumped out of their hangers of their own accord, lining up in the limited space they had over the paladins.

 

The guard on the wall nearly dropped his blaster. “Oh my, they’re…you’re the real deal.”

 

“I’d like to see someone try and fake Voltron,” Hunk joked quietly. Pidge smirked, and she heard Lance stifling his laughter behind her.

 

“Uh, hang on, we’ll be right there!” the guard said, scrambling out of sight.

 

“It’s nice to be appreciated,” Lance said, reverting his bayard back to its harmless state.

 

“Definitely a better reception than the Blade of Marmora,” Keith agreed, putting away his sword.

 

Pidge listened with half her attention. The other half was preoccupied watching the pyramid for signs of life or any hint of her brother. Was he watching her on a monitor somewhere right now? Was he pleading to be allowed outside to reunite with his sister?

 

Did he even know she was there?

 

“What’s taking so long?” she grumbled. The anticipation was killing her.

 

Allura put a hand on her shoulder and offered a smile when Pidge glanced back at her. It only calmed Pidge down a little, and only long enough for a group of people to walk out of the pyramid.

 

They were a motley group; the one in front, the leader, Pidge supposed, was a round alien with four tentacle arms, gray skin, and two antennae with eyes on top of his head. The alien next to him, the guard they’d talked with before, was shorter and had dark crimson plated skin and a thin snout with fangs. A third alien looked like a monkey, complete with dark brown fur and long, curling tail. The fourth and final member walked on all four legs and had dark green scales; he still reached Pidge’s shoulders, and she did not want to know how tall he would be if he reared back on his hind legs.

 

The newcomers all marveled at the lions, and then the gray one stepped forward. “It is an honor to meet the Paladins of Voltron,” he said. “My name is Gupthe. This is Ylivan,” he gestured to the guard. “Twygip.” He moved to the monkey-like alien. “And Arvidia.” He switched hands to point to the reptilian member of the party.

 

“The honor is all ours,” Allura said. “We are always looking for fellow allies to help us fight against Zarkon.”

 

“We have desired nothing more since we heard of Voltron’s return,” Gupthe said. “You can count on us.”

 

Some of the tension left the air on both sides. Except for Pidge, who was still wired up and running out of patience.

 

“That is a relief,” Allura said.

 

Pidge wanted to groan. If she left this to Allura they’d end up discussing what the alliance meant for an hour before getting anywhere about her brother. She would not wait that long.

 

She stepped forward. “Okay, enough politics. I’m looking for my brother, Matthew Holt. You rescued him from a labor camp a while ago.”

 

“Matthew?” Arvidia repeated.

 

“He’s a human, from Earth,” Pidge said. Her heart was pounding in her ears again, and her hands were shaking.

 

Lance stepped up behind her and took her helmet off. “He looks kind of like this.”

 

“Oh!” Ylivan said. “He’s the inventor with the bad leg!”

 

Pidge straightened considerably. The one sentence repeated loudly in her head. They knew him. They could tell her where he was. Something was wrong with his leg, but she didn’t even care because he was _alive_.

 

“Where is he?” Pidge demanded, taking another step forward only to be dragged back half a step by Allura.

 

Gupthe eyes rolled as he thought about it, and then he turned to Ylivan. “He was designing a barrier, wasn’t he?”

 

“Yes, but his lab is in the Qicek building, on the other side of the moon,” Ylivan said.

 

Gupthe nodded. “Go fetch him, would you? And let everyone else know it’s safe and they can come out now.”

 

Ylivan nodded and ran back inside.

 

Pidge couldn’t believe it. Matt was _here_. She felt like squealing and jumping up and down.

 

Hunk nudged her from behind. “This is great!”

 

She grinned from ear to ear and nodded. “I can’t believe I found him. I didn’t think I was ever going to see him again.” Oh man her throat was clogging up, she didn’t want to cry, not now when he wasn’t even here yet.

 

“Hey, save the emotions for him,” Lance said, holding both his hands up.

 

She laughed and nodded.

 

“Um, excuse us,” Twygip asked, stepping forward shyly. Their tail curled around their body. “Could we, perhaps, take a closer look at the lions?”

 

“Of course,” Allura said, smiling broadly and stepping aside to make a path for them. The trio moved slowly, almost bashfully, towards the lions.

 

The other aliens that came rushing out of hiding did not have the same reservations. Some must have been children, the ones that took to climbing on the paws and up the legs.

 

“Aw, look at them,” Lance said. “It’s like we just delivered Christmas.”

 

“What’s Christmas?” Allura asked.

 

“It’s a holiday back on Earth,” Hunk explained, going on into detail about the customs of the day.

 

Pidge tuned him out, walking closer to Green. A few of the younger aliens were climbing up her tail and then sliding back down again in glee. She giggled. Some things truly were universal.

 

All at once, a wave of…of _something_ rushed through her. She stumbled and threw a hand up to her head, dropping her helmet on the ground.

 

 _What was that_? She felt energized, like she was in a fight. Things were too loud, colors too bright. The children’s hands grabbing her tail were too rough, the noxious smell of Brussel sprouts was overwhelming her nose, and…

 

 _WAIT._ Back up. Children grabbing her tail? Pidge didn’t have a tail. Why could she…she was feeling Green’s tail? But that didn’t make sense. Pidge hadn’t been trying to mentally bond with Green, why were they so synced? Was Green trying to tell her something?”

 

“Pidge? Are you alright?” Allura asked. The hand on her shoulder was definitely a feeling from her own body, at least.

 

“Yeah…I just got a weird feeling from Green, all of a sudden.”

 

“Weird how?” Allura frowned. Their conversation caught the attention of the other paladins, and soon enough they had come closer to listen in.

 

“Everything was louder, brighter, and I could feel the kids climbing all over me. And I was weirdly energized, like I just dumped adrenaline into my veins.”

 

“Is that normal?” Keith asked, looking at Allura.

 

“I’m not sure,” Allura said.

 

“It almost felt like Green was trying to tell me something,” Pidge said. “But she’s never had a problem communicating with me before.”

 

“Perhaps you should try meditating,” Allura said. “Something may be wrong.”

 

Pidge sincerely hoped not. She didn’t want to deal with problems right now, not when her brother was about to show up.

 

But at the same time, she wanted to know what the Quiznak that had been. And it would help the time pass faster, so meditating it was.

 

She sat down under Green’s head, legs crossed and hands held gently in her lap. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

 

 _Alright, girl. What are you trying to tell me?_ Opening her mind to Green was easy. It was never really closed, not really. It was more like pulling a curtain across a room. You still knew what was happening on the other side, but it was muted and easier to tune out. Now Pidge pulled that curtain to the side, laying both of their minds bare.

 

The emotions Green shared with her didn’t make sense. They were happy and excited, content. Green didn’t want to be anywhere else; she liked the planet they were on. She liked the jungle around them; it felt like home to her.

 

Why did her lion have to be the nature hippie? Why couldn’t Green be the guardian of machinery or something? Technology was so much easier to understand. If you watered a plant wrong you could kill it. If you planted it on the wrong side of the house you could kill it. Hell, if you stepped on it, you could kill it.

 

 _But wouldn’t you die too if someone twenty times your size killed you?_ Green retorted.

 

 _I guess,_ Pidge admitted.

 

_And too much water would make you burst as well, correct?_

 

Well, that wasn’t wrong, exactly, but Pidge was usually in more danger of not enough water.

 

 _Plants are much like humans_ , Green said _. The more time you take to know them, the better you can care for them. And all creatures, with the proper love and care, can grow to be incredible things. Don’t you think that’s amazing?_

 

When put like that, Pidge couldn’t disagree. She still preferred her computers, but she understood why Green liked more natural things. _But what were you trying to tell me?_

_I was sharing the beauty of this world with you. Its quintessence is similar to ours._

 

Oh great. She shared the same kind of quintessence as a bunch of trees.

 

 _Also_ , Green said. Pidge thought she heard a hint of a laugh _. You should open your eyes_.

 

 _Why_? Pidge asked, but she opened her eyes nonetheless.

 

She was surrounded in darkness. Not complete darkness; a few small beams of sunlight filtered through the gaps in the branches above her.

 

“What the Quiznak?” she asked. Was…was this a tree? Had a tree sprouted around her in the ten minutes she was meditating?

 

“Pidge?” Lance asked. “You okay in there?”

 

“If this is a joke, it’s not funny,” Pidge stated. She pushed herself to her feet. The hollow of the tree was just high enough for her to stand.

 

“No, not a joke,” Lance said. “We have no idea what’s going on.”

 

 _Well that’s just great_ , Pidge thought bitterly.

 

Green laughed in her mind. Not just breathy exhales, like Pidge was used to from Green, but full on rolling on her back kind of laughter.

 

 _What do you know, you imp?_ Pidge demanded.

 

 _Humans seem to be able to tap into quintessence much better than any other species I’ve ever seen_ , Green said.

 

_And what the Quiznak does that mean?_

 

 _It means you’re able to share my ability to manipulate nature_.

 

Pidge blinked once, twice. _Say that again. Slower._

_You’re the one who created the tree around you._

_What._

Green laughed again. _You essentially have my vine beam inside you_.

 

 _What_. She could control plants? Was her lion serious? Why on Earth would she ever need or want this ability?

 

Green kept laughing.

 

“Pidge?” Lance called.

 

It didn’t even make sense. If humans could manipulate quintessence, why weren’t they doing it back on Earth? Why did she suddenly have the ability now?

 

Green scoffed _. Of course you couldn’t do it before. On your own, your ability is miniscule. But our connection magnifies it into something you can actually use. And it happened now, specifically, because of this planet. There was so much similar quintessence to our own it amplified and unlocked the door for you_.

 

It still didn’t make sense, Pidge decided.

 

“Okay, Pidge, I don’t know if you can hear me, but Keith’s gonna try and cut through the…tree…thing…and get you out,” Lance said.

 

 _You could make your own door, you know_ , Green told her.

 

“And how the flying Quiznak am I supposed to do that?” Pidge demanded out loud.

 

“Um, you don’t have to do anything. Keith will do all the work,” Lance responded.

 

“Not you,” Pidge snapped. “Tell Keith to hang on a second, I want to try something.”

 

She still thought it was all a pile of crap, but damn if her curiosity wasn’t getting the better of her.

 

With Green’s gentle voice coaching her in her mind, she imagined the bark in front of her peeling away until it created an opening large enough for her to step through. The first few minutes, she didn’t expect it to work. Green reprimanded her, telling her if she didn’t fully believe it would work then of course it wouldn’t.

 

So, shutting off the logically skeptic side of her mind, she tried again.

 

And nearly had a heart attack when it worked.

 

She wasn’t the only one. The others on the outside had their weapons raised to the tree, appropriately freaked out.

 

Pidge stepped out into freedom, grinning. _Alright, I’ll admit that was pretty cool_.

 

Green’s smug emotions were all the response Pidge wanted for that.

 

“So…what just happened?” Hunk asked.

 

“You guys are not gonna believe this,” Pidge said. She explained her discovery, and she got immense satisfaction watching the disbelief grow on their faces.

 

“So can we all do that then?” Hunk asked. “Like can I control earth? Dude I always wanted to be an earthbender, this is so cool!”

 

“That would make me a water…” Lance trailed off, his expression growing sad and gaze cutting over to the blue lion. He and Keith shared a glance after that, their faces mirror images of each other.

 

Hunk looked constipated. His face was scrunched up while he tried to earthbend.

 

“Could the original paladins do this?” Keith asked Allura.

 

She shook her head, disbelief still prominent on her face. “No, not that I’m aware of.”

 

“Green said something about humans being the most receptive species to quintessence she’s ever seen. Does that have something to do with it?” Pidge offered.

 

“It might,” Allura said. “Honestly I’m just as baffled as the rest of you about all of this.”

 

“Ha!” Hunk cried out, chucking a rock straight into the air.

 

Pidge blinked. That took him no time at all.

 

“ _Dude!_ ” Lance cried.

 

Hunk giggled. “I’m an earthbender!”

 

“I guess it’s a lot easier to do it if you know for a fact it will work,” Pidge grumbled. She looked to the others to see if they were about to show her up too.

 

None of them were even trying, and with a guilty jolt she realized why. No matter which lion they were bonded to, whatever element they used would prove which bond was stronger. The answer, regardless of which lion, would be painful.

 

Some answers were better left in the dark.

 

“Was this tree here before?” Gupthe asked, walking over to them.

 

“Ah, no, sorry about that,” Pidge said, rubbing the back of her head. She could probably make it disappear again if she tried hard enough.

 

Another voice cut her off though.

 

“Katie?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here's another pronunciation key:  
> Gupthe: Goop-te  
> Ylivan: Ill-e-von  
>  Twygip: Twi-gep  
> Arvidia: Ar-vid-e-a
> 
> I enjoyed this chapter immensely, you have no idea. And I can't wait to see what your reactions to it are.


	12. Will Shiro Ever Catch a Break?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It would appear like things are going well for Shiro. But appearances can be deceiving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some major violence in this chapter, but it's only a couple lines and it's not really that graphic, so I didn't think I needed to tag it. I thought it fair to warn you though, in case that bothers anyone.

If Shiro had ever once thought that his life couldn’t be more interesting, then he wanted to go back in time to that point and slap his past self across the face while laughing hysterically.

 

He could remember just two years ago when he thought the height of adventure was flying a clunky earth rocket through space. He’d though nothing would ever be as great an adventure as that.

 

Except, you know, getting kidnapped by aliens and thrown in an alien gladiator ring, escaping, and becoming one of the leaders against the aliens that had previously kidnapped you.

 

So, yeah, flying a robot lion that joined other robot lions had been his benchmark for an interesting life that he never thought he’d surpass.

 

Fate must enjoy toying with him.

 

His new definition of interesting was phasing through floors at random times and walking through solid objects. That was a thing now.

 

And it was incredibly inconvenient.

 

He’d been hoping to keep this ability a secret, but, well, when you sink through a floor during conversations or drop from the ceiling into other conversations, people tended to notice.

 

Trying to come with an explanation had been fun. In the end, he said it was a thing some of his species could do, but it was new for him and he didn’t have control yet. The crew accepted the explanation easily enough; they also thought it was hilarious.

 

Even the Captain was heard joking about it. Shiro hid in his room after that, too mortified to face anybody.

 

There, he decided he needed to get this under control. If he was going to phase through everything, he was a liability in a fight. He’d been lucky on the few raids they’d been on since it first happened, but he didn’t want to push it.

 

So, locked in his room, he sat cross-legged on the floor, his back straight, breathing deeply and focused on his connection with Black. His theory was that if he re-established his bond with Black, he’d be able to control his ghost power.

 

He opened his mind and reached out. It felt like grabbing smoke, trying to hold onto the tethers between him and his lion. “C’mon, Black, I know you’re there.”

 

A purr, faint and distant, but there. Black was trying, trying so hard to reach him and keep tabs on him. Shiro felt a rush of emotion; he didn’t know if it was his or Black’s.

 

Too soon the connection started fading. He growled and shut off his other senses, focusing on the bond and nothing else. The sound of the engine, the reek of the room, the stiffness in his limbs, none of it existed anymore.

 

Black’s roar was louder, reaching. Shiro could almost touch it; just a little more. He imagined the cockpit around him, remembered the feel of piloting, of holding the controls and flying with one mind.

 

“Shiro! You in here?” Grobtist asked, barging into the room.

 

Shiro jumped so badly he ended up on his feet. The connection with Black snapped, and the mental recoil left him staggering.

 

“Whoa there, you alright?” Grobtist asked, reaching out to steady him.

 

“Yeah,” Shiro said. Anger clawed at him, and he barely hid his glare. He’d been _so close_ to re-forging the bond. Black would have been able to pinpoint his location and come get him. He could have gone home. “What did you need?”

 

“Captain found another target; we’re prepping for a raid, and she wants you front and center again.”

 

“Of course she does,” Shiro muttered. He didn’t mind making these raids as peaceful as he could, but the Captain had sent them on raids daily since discovering Shiro’s usefulness. Sometimes twice a day if they found another target. It was starting to wear him down.

 

“Well, we don’t want to keep her waiting,” Grobtist said, slinging an arm around Shiro’s shoulders and leading him out of the room.

 

“No, we wouldn’t want that,” Shiro said. Because despite whatever qualms he had with the Captain, his journey back to his friends was still very much in her hands. He needed to stay on her good side as long as could.

 

The Captain was on the bridge, discussing tactics with Wirst. He joined the pair and they gave him the rundown of the ship.

 

Merchant ship transporting textiles from the Nevac galaxy; the cloth was some of the finest in the quadrant, and it was expensive. They’d take possession of it and sell it themselves, keeping the profits.

 

Shiro would lead the advance party, like usual, and announce his presence. The Galra would run, blah, blah, they’d play the same old song and dance. Shiro didn’t know why they had these meetings; it was the same plan every time. Maybe the Captain was just testing him, seeing if he was still willing to participate.

 

Unfortunately, as long as he was on this ship, he would.

 

He suited up in his armor and grabbed his helmet then he took up position with the advance party. Their ship lined up with the merchant ship, shot out the grappling hooks, and deployed the boarding tunnel. Shiro led the charge into the merchant ship.

 

Of course, just when he was most comfortable, something new had to happen.

 

It wasn’t the typical guards and sentries that greeted them on the merchant ship. It was actual Galra soldiers, complete with a Galra commander. “Well, well, well. I guess the rumors are true. Our little Champion is out playing pirate.”

 

Shiro held out an arm to stop the crew behind him. “Go back. Tell the Captain we need to leave,” he ordered.

 

“Not a chance!” someone yelled, charging past him.

 

“No!” Shiro tried to grab them, but they were out of reach. The fight broke out all around Shiro.

 

He blocked a few hits aimed at the crew, but his attention was quickly focused on the commander. The commander wielded a long sword, and it sparked when Shiro raised his arm to block it.

 

The rest of the fight faded from his mind as he traded blows with the commander. It took all his concentration to block and attack, and he couldn’t spare any focus on the others.

 

“Why don’t you just surrender quietly?” the commander asked. “We both know how this is going to end.”

 

“You’re wrong about that!” Shiro growled, ducking under a swing and slamming a fist into the commander’s stomach. It would have been effective if not for two very important facts: this was a galra commander, not a fellow student in training, and he was wearing armor. The punch was all but a waste of time.

 

The commander laughed and wrapped a hand around Shiro’s neck, and then he slammed Shiro back against a wall.

 

“Do you surrender now?” the commander asked.

 

Shiro choked out a few breaths. “Never.”

 

“Then I hope you enjoy losing the other arm.” The commander raised his sword again.

 

Shiro kicked against the wall, he grabbed at the hand on his neck. His eyes never left the arc of the blade.

 

 _If there was ever a time to be a ghost, now would be it!_ He thought.

 

The blade came back down. Shiro imagined himself intangible, recalled what it was like to fall through floors.

 

The sword passed harmlessly through his arm, and he dropped out of the commander’s grasp. To his immense relief, he did not continue through the floor; his boots landed on solid metal, and he had the advantage.

 

“What—“

 

Shiro didn’t hesitate. Hand glowing, he punched right through the commander’s armor and into the soft insides of the Galra.

 

It was not the first time he’d killed; there had been plenty of slaves in the gladiator arena he’d been forced to murder. That didn’t make it any less horrific. His own stomach still twisted something awful. But he’d long ago made his peace with it.

 

The commander dropped to the floor, and Shiro pulled his bloody hand out. Galra blood was a deep purple; it helped ease the queasiness to not see bright crimson all over his hand.

 

At the sight of their commander dead on the floor, the rest of the Galra lost their resolve. The crew handled them easily, but Shiro noticed a few of the pirates unmoving on the floor.

 

 _Damn it_. He’d told them to turn back. Their deaths would weigh on his mind with twice the weight of the commander’s.

 

“Should we send the signal to the rest of the crew?” someone asked.

 

“We should retreat,” Shiro said. “This was a trap. There could be more soldiers waiting for us.”

 

The men looked uncertain, but then a glance at their dead crewmates decided them. “Let’s go.”

 

They picked up their fallen members and retreated back through the tunnel. A bunch of cloth wasn’t worth their lives.

 

Xx

 

Shiro wasn’t surprised when the Captain demanded to speak with him. Nor was it entirely surprising that she summoned him to her own quarters.

 

The room was sparse. A nest of blankets and pillows was in one corner. A desk was pushed up against the opposite wall. Charts and maps covered the wall, and various souvenirs hung from the ceiling. 

 

The Captain leaned over her desk, palms spread on the flat surface. One finger kept tapping, even after Shiro made his presence known.

 

“Uh, Captain?” He’d never actually learned her name. Everyone always referred to her as ‘Captain.’ Maybe that was her name.

 

“We lost four men today, Shiro,” the Captain said. She didn’t turn around to face him. “Good men.”

 

His gut twisted. “I know.”

 

“I can’t let that happen again.”

 

A rock settled in his stomach. Wherever she was going with this, it couldn’t be good.

 

“What do you want to do?” he asked.

 

“We need to lie low for a while and then go back to smaller targets.” She straightened and turned to face him. “And you need to leave immediately.”

 

“As in…”

 

“As in take one of the pods and get off my ship. We’re pirates, not freedom fighters. We can’t fight blasted commanders, and if they care this much about you to come after you themselves then I can’t have you on board. It’s too dangerous.”

 

Shiro nodded. “I agree. I don’t want anyone else to die because of me.”

 

“I’m glad you understand.”

 

“I’ll pack my things and leave immediately.”

 

She nodded and dismissed him.

 

Shiro tried not to skip with glee down the halls back to his room. It wasn’t exactly what he had wanted to happen; traveling through space in a pod was going to take _forever_ , but at least he’d finally get where he wanted to go.

 

Packing only took him ten minutes; he didn’t have much, only his paladin armor and a sack of valuables to trade along the journey. He stopped by the kitchen and grabbed some food, and then he went directly to the hanger. They didn’t have many pods, and most of them were old and a little questionable, if he were honest.

 

He wasn’t looking forward to the trip; it would be long and uncomfortable and stressful. But he was looking forward to reuniting with his friends, so he would deal with it. He threw his stuff in and climbed into the pilot’s chair. It felt good to be at the controls again, even if it was a clunky old pod like this.

 

The bay doors opened, he pushed the throttle, and he was gone without a single good-bye or a look back. It had been an interesting period of his life, but he was glad to end that chapter and move on.

 

Black purred way down in the depths of his mind, and he smiled. _Soon, girl. I’ll be there soon_.

 

It was while he was looking up the distance to Olkari and Arus that he realized something: he hadn’t accidentally used his powers since the fight against the commander. He’d been in complete control the whole time.

 

He smiled. Things were definitely looking up.

 

Turning back to the controls, he studied the results of the search he’d done. Olkari was closest, but only marginally. Still, it was half a day’s less travel, so Olkari it was. He set the course and pushed the thrusters to max.

 

“I wonder if these pods have any kind of radio,” Shiro muttered. Road trips were always better with music, even space road trips with space music.

 

It was going to be a long enough trip as it was; if his math was right, he’d need to stop at least three times to refuel the pod, and he should probably stop more often than that just to let himself sleep.

 

Eh, he’d figure it out as he went along.

 

For several days, everything went perfectly. Then he ended up on the same port as Prince Lotor.

 

Xx

 

To say Lotor was in a bad mood would be putting it lightly. His ship was damaged and would take four quintents to repair, which meant Voltron was getting farther and farther away. It didn’t help he’d made a complete fool of himself when he saw the blue pilot. That man had been something else…Lotor was still trying to recover. Pity he hadn’t taken Lotor’s offer to be his concubine. Instead he’d run off with the rest of Voltron, leaving Lotor to limp to Maahox’s ship and then be towed to this port.

 

The anger grew all over again in him. He had thought that walking around the market would calm him down a little. Maybe on another planet it would have. Here, though, everyone seemed hell-bent on avoiding him. It wasn’t the usual respect he was used to, where peasants would move aside and bow. No, these people were throwing themselves out of the way, pushing and shoving to clear a space for him to walk. And no one would meet his eye, not even the shop keepers he tried to interact with.

 

He had assumed at first it was because they didn’t see a lot of Galra, and they certainly wouldn’t see royalty very often. But that didn’t feel right.

 

“What is this bracelet made of?” Lotor asked a jeweler. The man trembled, all six hands wringing themselves into a knot.

 

“Tr-trixite, your Majesty,” he stammered. He kept his gaze lowered, trained on the deep blue bracelet.

 

Blue wasn’t usually Lotor’s color, but it reminded him of that paladin’s eyes. Perhaps he could give it as a gift to him?

 

“I’ll take it. How much?” He reached for his change purse.

 

That finally had the man’s gaze looking up at him, but his eyes were wide as dinner plates. “What? T-there’s no charge for you, of course, your Majesty.” His gaze lowered again.

 

Lotor frowned. While he certainly didn’t mind receiving royal treatment, this whole thing felt off. He pulled his change purse out anyway. “I highly doubt you can afford to run your business by giving your wares away for free.” He left a handful of coins, certainly enough to cover the bracelet, and went on his way.

 

The sigh of relief from the jeweler was audible even over the din of the crowd.

 

Lotor’s frown did not go away. The people around him, however, did.

 

 _Enough is enough_ , Lotor decided. He grabbed the next person he saw by the arm and dragged them in front of him. The poor woman nearly collapsed to all four of her knees, biting on her lips to keep herself from crying out.

 

“Stop that,” Lotor commanded. “Why is everyone so afraid of me?”

 

The woman chanced a look up. “You…you’re Galra,” she said, as if that explained everything.

 

“Of course I am. What does that have to do with anything?” Lotor glared down at her. It probably wasn’t the best idea when he was trying to find out why they were scared of him in the first place.

 

“Well…most Galra like to beat us up, and they take whatever they want.” Her voice trembled and she shut her eyes. “Please, they’ve already killed my husband and taken everything, I have nothing left, just let me go!”

 

Lotor released her like she was a venomous raskva. She scrambled back into the crowd, and he realized everyone was watching him. Children were being pushed behind terrified parents.

 

He clenched his fists. So this was what his soldiers got up to, was it? A bunch of bullies preying on the peasants.

 

He turned back to his guards. “We’re returning to the ship, and send word to all crewmembers that no one is authorized to leave the ship without my permission.”

 

This time when he walked, it was him who wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes.

 

Xx

 

Maahox sat back in his chair. He’d sent one of the guards with a special prototype he’d designed, a new robotic eye to replace the boring machine already in his socket. Some of the audio receptors would need to be adjusted-it cut out every other word- but all in all, a very successful run.

 

What was most intriguing was the confrontation he’d witnessed between Lotor and that poor woman. It was no secret through the galaxies that the Galra soldiers liked to push others around; he’d thought even Lotor knew that. Apparently this was not the case. It would be interesting to see what he did about this news, if anything.

 

A blur of movement from the prototype eye caught his attention, and he remotely maneuvered the device to watch it better. Someone was running behind the crowd.

 

Maahox narrowed his good eye and zoomed in with the robotic one. What species was this? As tall as Lotor, with pale fleshy skin and a long scar over his nose…Maahox was sure he’d seen him somewhere before. And just where was he going? Was he some sort of spy or assassin, watching Lotor for a rebel resistance?

 

Maahox continued to watch as the creature went to some poor excuse of a spacecraft. His conviction that this was some sort of rebel solidified.

 

“Well, we can’t have that, now can we?” Maahox muttered. He pulled out another machine of his and ran for the closest exit point of the ship. A pod that old would need a few minutes to warm up before take-off, so he’d need to make this fast.

 

His little device, an old scale model design for a creature that hadn’t lived very long, flew through the air as soon as Maahox threw it. Then he pulled out his universal remote, quickly set it to the device, and guided it to the pod.

 

The craft lifted a few inches of the ground. The device landed on the top.

 

Maahox pushed the self-destruct button.

 

He heard the explosion all the way from where he was standing and grinned.

 

One less rebel to worry about in the universe.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?
> 
> Comments are lovely and I could really use some after the day I've had!


	13. Watch It Go Up In Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Holt Sibling Reunion you've all been waiting for.

His hair was peppered with gray streaks, and he had a death grip on a wooden crutch under his left arm. He was thin, way too thin to be healthy, but a few weeks of good meals would fix that.

 

“ _Matt!_ ” Pidge yelled, launching herself into his arms.

 

He stumbled back, collapsing on his bad leg and crashing to the ground with his little sister in his arms. “Katie?” he repeated. “How the _flying fuck_ did you find me?”

 

Ah, earth cursing. Keith was surprised at the rush of nostalgia that brought up.

 

Pidge pulled back just enough to be able to talk. “I found the video of your rescue from the labor camp, and I hacked into the cloaking tech used on the ship that got you of there and then tracked the signal here.”

 

Matt blinked. “Okay. But _why the fuck are you in space?_ ”

 

“I’m the Green Paladin of Voltron,” she announced proudly.

 

He just looked at her blankly. “I have no idea what that means.”

 

“It’s five giant robot lions that form into a bigger robot and kicks ass,” Lance announced, drawing Matt’s attention to the rest of them.

 

He sat up a little, but Pidge absolutely refused to let go and stayed in his lap, arms still clutched around him tightly. Matt’s eyes found Keith’s. “You’re out here, too?”

 

“It’s a long story,” Keith admitted.

 

“Wait, do you two know each other?” Lance asked, gesturing between Keith and Matt.

 

“Yeah, Shiro was his mentor at the Garrison, so Keith tagged along with us a lot.” Matt’s expression quickly grew darker and his grip tightened on his sister. “I guess you want to know what happened to him.”

 

Well, Matt wasn’t exactly wrong, Keith thought. “He’s actually what brought us together,” Keith said.

 

Pidge took over the story, animatedly telling her brother everything that happened since Shiro crash landed on earth. It took a few minutes to get Matt caught up, and his eyes kept getting wider and wider to the point Keith was afraid they’d fall out of his head.

 

“So Shiro’s alive?” Matt asked when she was done.

 

They nodded. “We just don’t know where he is exactly, but we’re working on it,” Pidge said.

 

He buried his face in her shoulder. “But he’s _alive_. I thought he died months ago when he took my place in a gladiator arena.”

 

Pidge ran her hands up and down his back. “He won that fight, and every fight after that until he escaped.”

 

“I’m so glad,” Matt said, and while Keith couldn’t see his face he had no doubt the man was about to cry. “God I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again.”

 

“I was never going to stop looking for you,” Pidge said, her own voice cracking with emotion.

 

Keith was impressed she’d lasted this long. He turned to the other paladins, motioning with his head for them to give the siblings some privacy. Well, as much privacy they could offer in an open field, anyway.

 

Gupthe came over to them, watching the reunion. “I am glad we were able to reunite them,” he said.

 

“So are we,” Hunk said. “Pidge has been driving herself insane trying to find him. You know, thinking about it, it’s partially Pidge’s doing that we’re here at all.”

 

“Yeah,” Lance agreed. “If we hadn’t followed her up to the roof, we never would have seen Shiro crash on Earth and gone to check it out, never run into Keith and then found Blue.”

 

It was funny how life worked like that, Keith mused. What would have happened if these three hadn’t shown up when he was saving Shiro? Driving away from the Garrison would have been trickier, since he would have tried to keep an unconscious Shiro on his bike himself. And even if he and Shiro had later checked out the right cave, it was only because of Lance that they were able to find Blue.

 

“In any case, thank you,” Allura said. “Perhaps we should discuss what we expect of each other in this alliance.”

 

“I couldn’t agree more,” Gupthe said. “Come, come, we’ll talk inside and I’ll have someone fetch some drinks for us.”

 

It was totally different from how the Blade of Marmora had handled things. The Galra resistance had been hesitant to talk with them, hadn’t even wanted to be allies. These guys were more than willing to talk and actually make this a two-way street. It was a nice change of pace.

 

The room Gupthe led them to was underground. The lights were made of some bioluminescent goo in glass lanterns hanging from the ceiling, casting colored lights around the room like stained glass windows. Monitors covered the walls of the room, powered down at the moment. The center of the room was a circle of chairs and benches, and they spread out on them. Twygip and Arvidia had followed them in and now sat next to Gupthe.

 

“So, I know we hope to have Voltron’s support in our raids and supply runs,” Gupthe said. His four elbows rested on his knees and he leaned forward. “And I’m happy to offer any assistance we can to all of you. But what exactly are you hoping we can do for you?”

 

Keith happily let Allura lead this discussion.

 

“Well, we’re always in need of supplies,” Allura stated. “And we’d like your support in any big battles we wage against the empire.”

 

The rebels glanced at each other. “I don’t know if we’d be helpful in a direct attack. Most of our members are not combat trained, and we tend to stick to smaller targets.”

 

“That’s fine,” Allura assured. “But even having support in planning an attack or in gathering information would be helpful.”

 

“That we can do,” Twygip stated.

 

There was a brief interruption as Pidge and Matt scurried in and took seats, but Gupthe was quick to get back to business.

 

“Matt will of course be going with you; he should be able to update you on all that we know,” Gupthe said.

 

Matt looked taken aback at first, like he hadn’t expected to actually be allowed to leave. Pidge elbowed him in the ribs. “Of course you’re coming with me. I’m not letting you out of my sight ever again.”

 

“Right,” he said, rubbing the spot she’d elbowed. “I’m pretty good with machines, too, if you need another engineer.”

 

“We always need mechanics,” Allura said. “Especially now. Our ship still needs major repairs from the battle we had against Zarkon last week.”

 

“That was true?” Arvidia asked.

 

All the paladins nodded.

 

“Amazing. You actually managed to cripple Zarkon.”

 

“But he’s not dead,” Keith stated. All they’d done was trade one dictator for another and lose Shiro in the process. If you asked him, they were worse off than they’d been before.

 

“Maybe not,” Twygip started. “But you’ve proven he can be fought against. You’ve given hope back to a universe that had forgotten what hope was.”

 

Would it be too cynical if Keith said all it had taken was giving up their own hope? Yeah, that would probably be too cynical.

 

“I’m sure more still needs to be discussed,” Arvidia started, “but perhaps we should move on? We were actually about to plan a raid on the planet Dlupsu before you arrived.”

 

“Ah, yes,” Gupthe said, eyes brightening. “We could certainly use your help with that raid. There’s a strong Galra presence there, but we need the ore they mine for fuel for our ships.”

 

“The problem is, so do the Galra,” Matt said. “They’ve got it all pretty heavily guarded.”

 

But those guards would be easy for Voltron to take down, Keith thought. _Assuming we can actually form Voltron_. That was a dark thought in the back of his mind, but glancing around at the others, it looked like they were all thinking the same thing.

 

Twygip stood up and went to a monitor, pulling up a diagram of the planet. “They’ve created false stores of ore, so we don’t know for sure which storehouse it’s actually in, but these are the positions of the storehouses.”

 

“We were going to risk an operation ourselves in a few days, but if you are able to assist us…” Gupthe trailed off.

 

“Of course we will,” Keith said. The rebels needed fuel, and if they could keep fuel out of the hands of the Galra at the same time, so much the better.

 

“Excuse me?” Lance demanded.

 

Keith winced. He probably should have actually discussed it with them first. Lance especially would be annoyed at Keith speaking up for all of them.

 

“We can’t miss this opportunity to hit the Galra,” Keith said. “If their ships have no fuel, they’ll be crippled.”

 

“Yeah, I know,” Lance stated. “But you’re forgetting a _really important_ fact about us and the lions right now. It would be suicide for us to go out there right now!”

 

“It’ll work out, Lance, it always does,” Keith said.

 

“Oh, it always works out, does it?” Lance scoffed. “That’s why we have no idea where Shiro is, right?”

 

Whoever said words didn’t hurt needed to be shot. Keith felt those words like a knife in his stomach. So he did what he always did when he was about to lose control of his emotions.

 

He shut them off. “We’re doing this, Lance. End of discussion.”

 

Lance’s mouth snapped shut, and the glare he leveled at Keith was downright murderous. “I didn’t think you being leader meant you were going to ignore me the way Shiro did.”

 

“ _What?_ What are you talking about?” Keith demanded, voice rising dangerously.

 

Hunk jumped in then. “Okay, maybe not the time for this right now, guys.”

 

Keith glanced at him, anger still threatening to manifest itself as a punch in Lance’s face. But his gaze caught the faces of the rebel leaders, and he had to concede that maybe Hunk was right.

 

He sat back in his seat, crossing his arms. “Fine. But we’re finishing this later.”

 

“Can’t wait,” Lance stated, mirroring Keith’s posture. 

 

The rebels glanced at one another. “If this is a bad time…” Twygip started.

 

“No, just ignore them,” Pidge said, waving a hand dismissively. “They fight all the time, it doesn’t usually affect the team when we’re out there. Besides, I think I have an idea on how to do this that will satisfy both of them.”

 

Well, Keith couldn’t wait to hear _that_.

 

Xx

 

The planning took them the rest of the day. Tension was still high between Keith and Lance, and everyone kept trying to tiptoe around the subject. But the mission came first. Keith put Lance’s issues out of his mind. It was just like Lance to be overdramatic about everything, he’d just picked a terrible time to have a tantrum.

 

With everything planned and the paladins returning to the castle to pass the night, he retreated to his room and locked the door, collapsing face-first on his bed.

 

In one day, he’d ruined relationships with half his teammates. That had to be a record or something.

 

He didn’t move from his spot for a while, and he was almost asleep when someone knocked on his door.

 

 _No, no more people. I’m done with people for the day_ , Keith thought. Maybe if he faked sleep, they’d just go away.

 

“Keith?” Pidge called. “Can I come in? Please? I want to talk.”

 

Yell at him for insisting they could handle a mission they weren’t ready for, he translated. He kept quiet. He didn’t want to be yelled at anymore today.

 

“I’m not afraid to hack your door, you know, so you might as well let me in.”

 

Damn it. She would do it. There would be no avoiding her right now.

 

But if he just let hack, then he didn’t have to get up and he could keep his face smashed in his pillow. That was by far the more appealing option.

 

And Shiro’s disappointed voice in the back of his mind could just shut up.

 

“Okay, you asked for it,” Pidge said. She kept grumbling while she started hacking, but he couldn’t make out what she was saying through the door.

 

It only took her a minute and a half to break in, which Keith thought was pretty impressive.

 

“Quiznak are you asleep? You better not be asleep after all that,” Pidge growled. “Damn it, I finally worked up the nerve to come apologize to you and you’re _asleep_.”

 

Wait, what?

 

“Apologize?” Keith repeated, lifting his face out of his pillow.

 

Pidge jumped and then glared at him. “You were awake this whole time, weren’t you?”

 

Keith chose to ignore that and sat up. “What do you need to apologize for?”

 

Pidge sighed and sat next to him on the edge of his bed. “I said some really awful stuff to you this morning. I didn’t mean it, I was just tired and lashing out.”

 

“But you were right,” Keith said. “I am having issues bonding with Black, and I know that’s what’s holding us back with Voltron. And I know I could never be half the leader Shiro was; I don’t know what I’m doing half the time.”

 

Pidge went quiet next to him. And why wouldn’t she? Everything he’d said was true. The truth was just hard to hear sometimes.

 

“You aren’t doing that terrible of a job, you know,” Pidge said softly. She pulled her feet up to the bed and wrapped her arms around her knees. “You’ve been checking on all of us like it’s the only thing that matters, and when we plan stuff you have really good points.”

 

“Even today when I insisted we help on a raid we aren’t ready for?” Keith asked.

 

“Yeah, even today. Even if we aren’t ready, we can still help. And we figured out a stealthier way to get the ore, which will probably be safer for the rebels coming along, too,” Pidge said.

 

“But it wasn’t worth the fight with Lance.”

 

“Agreed,” Pidge said. “That was stupid, and you’ll need to make up with him tomorrow.”

 

Keith ran a hand through his hair. He wanted to believe Pidge, he really did. But he still didn’t think he was any good at this leader thing.

 

“Look, all of us are a little emotionally unstable right now with everything going on. And one of us should have been making sure you were talking to someone, too, the way you were making sure the rest of us talked.”

 

He groaned. “Why does everyone think I need to talk to someone?”

 

Pidge looked over at him. “Because I know Shiro was like a brother to you, and you only just got him back. Now he’s off who knows where in who knows what condition, and you never even had time to process that for yourself before trying to put the rest of us back together. And as much as you like to claim to be an emotionless void, we all know you’re not and that you’re hurting.”

 

“It doesn’t matter,” Keith insisted, turning away and looking down at his pillow. “We’ll get Shiro back and everything will go back to normal. If I could get over myself, we’d get him back even faster.”

 

“I don’t think it works that way,” Pidge stated.

 

“It’s going to,” Keith insisted.

 

Pidge frowned at him.

 

Keith cut her off before she could say anything else. “You should go to bed. You were already up way too long this morning, and we have a mission tomorrow.”

 

“No way, you’re still beating yourself up over dumb stuff,” Pidge said.

 

“I’ll work on that. But we both need sleep,” Keith said, getting to his feet and holding a hand out to help Pidge up.

 

She refused to take it, but she did get to her feet. “I’m only leaving with a promise that you’re actually going to sleep.”

 

“Yes, I promise.” He was going to try, at least.

 

She sized him up. “Fine then. But we’re not done talking about this!” She stormed out and went to her own quarters.

 

It took Keith a few moments to realize his door hadn’t closed behind her, and a few more to realize she’d left his door broken.

 

He groaned and flopped back on his bed. That was a problem for Future Keith.

 

Xx

 

 The plan was relatively simple. They’d fly in from five different directions in rebel ships, taking out any Galra sentries that saw them. Once on the ground, they’d sneak into the storehouse and check if it was the right one. If it was, they’d call the others for backup and start taking out the Galra as quietly as possible until the others got there.

 

It would work.

 

Keith had repeated that phrase to himself so often since he woke up the words had lost all meaning. But they were already flying in, so it was a little late to try and back out now.

 

“I landed,” Hunk announced over the comms.

 

“Be careful,” Keith said. “That goes for everyone.”

 

“No need to tell us,” Pidge said.

 

Keith maneuvered his ship around a rocky spire. He had a visual on his storehouse now. He just needed to find a place to land and sneak in closer.

 

“I’ve landed,” Allura said.

 

“So have I,” Pidge said.

 

“I’m landing now,” Keith responded.

 

“Me too,” Lance said.

 

Keith hadn’t had the chance to talk with Lance yet; things were still tense between them, and they were making it awkward for everyone else. Just another problem for Keith to deal with later.

 

He shook his head. He needed to focus right now. He hopped out of the ship and stayed low, surveying the surroundings. Two sentries stood guard outside the only door, easily handled.

 

He summoned his bayard and crept up along the side of the storehouse. A sentry inclined its head in his direction, and he lunged forward just as Hunk said something in his ear. The first sentry lost its head, and Keith ducked under blaster fire and stabbed the second sentry through the chest.

 

“What’d you say Hunk?” Keith asked. He slipped inside the storehouse.

 

“I said I can’t tell if there’s anything in my storehouse, there’s just a staircase leading underground.”

 

Keith was met with the same staircase in his own storehouse. “Mine too. They’re probably all set up this way with the ore safely underground in a giant trap.” _Of fucking course_ it was all a giant trap that they’d just walked into.

 

“So what do we do? Do we keep going?” Pidge asked.

 

“We promised to get this ore for those people,” Allura said. “We have to try.”

 

“I know,” Keith said, peering over the edge of the staircase. “Just be careful. The rest of us can’t come running very easily.”

 

“I really wish the lions were close at hand,” Lance muttered.

 

“Well, they’re not, so we’ll have to make do,” Keith stated, taking the first few steps. He kept his bayard up and ready.

 

“Yeah, and whose fault is that? It was your idea to use the rebel ships, remember?” Lance retorted.

 

“And everyone agreed it would be less conspicuous,” Keith said. The end of the stairway was dark; he couldn’t even see how deep it went.

 

“Can you guys please not do this right now?” Pidge asked.

 

The only light Keith had now came from his suit.

 

“I have to agree with Pidge,” Allura said. “This isn’t the time for your bickering.”

 

“Fine by me,” Keith said. He nearly had a heart attack when instead of another stair his foot found even ground. Why was it so dark? They had to have some kind of light source…of course, using it would give him away and they were trying to be sneaky.

 

He sighed. Stumbling in the dark it was, then.

 

“Oh man this is so creepy,” Hunk complained. “Is anyone else’s deathtrap darker than space?”

 

Confirmations came from everyone.

 

“I know they’re trying to lead us off the scent, but this feels a little extreme,” Pidge said. “Subtlety isn’t really the Galra style.”

 

“But the ore still exists,” Lance said. “It has to be somewhere.”

 

“And we don’t know where else to look, so we’ll keep checking these out,” Keith said. He pulled up short when he finally realized there was a wall in front of him.

 

“Unless all the storehouses were a decoy, and they keep the ore in something less obvious,” Allura said. “Maybe it never leaves the mountains until it’s being shipped out.”

 

But then why go to all the trouble of building such an elaborate underground tunnel system? The Galra might not be about subtlety, but they weren’t about useless labor, either.

 

Something wasn’t adding up.

 

“I’ve got Matt working on it back on the castle,” Pidge said. “He’s going to run a scan over the planet.”

 

“Why the Quiznak didn’t we do that before running off to physically check the storehouses?” Lance demanded.

 

“We did, but none of them came up positive for the ore. We figured they had some kind of protective shell around them blocking the scan, and anything that came up in the mountains we assumed was unmined ore,” Pidge said.

 

“I don’t think they would have built so many fake decoys for nothing like this,” Keith said.

 

“I don’t either,” Allura agreed.

 

“Well that’s great. So we’re just going to—ah!” Lance shrieked.

 

Keith stopped dead, a hand on his helmet. “Lance? What happened?”

 

“Galra patrol! Came out of-quiznak that was close- nowhere! I can’t even see them because it’s so dark!”

 

 _Shit,_ Keith thought. He was way too far to run and make it in time; they all were. He hadn’t accounted for them being blind, though. And Lance was a marksman; he needed to be able to see if he had any chance of shooting his targets.

 

 _Shit shit shit_. What would Shiro do? Dumb question, Shiro wouldn’t have put the team in this position.

 

What options did Keith have then? He could run and try and make it to Lance in time. He could keep going and see what the point of these underground tunnels were.

 

The decision was taken out of his hands when a blaster shot flew past his face.

 

“Holy Quiznak!” He jumped back and lifted his sword. That patrol really did come out of nowhere.

 

“Keith? What’s going on?” Allura asked.

 

“I’ve got my own patrol to deal with. Watch yourselves, they’re probably in all of these tunnels!”

 

He couldn’t even see the Galra that had fired at him. He summoned his shield and held it up just in time to block a more accurate shot.

 

Well, he knew what direction the shots were coming from. That was something, at least. He charged forward. The suit only illuminated about a foot in front of him at a time, but the blaster shots coming out of the darkness gave him a good idea of where his target was.

 

It was a shame that when he got close enough to engage, the shooting stopped. The Galra was in a dark suit, allowing him to blend into the shadows. All Keith saw was a flash of a knife, and if not for his fast reflexes that might have been the last thing he’d ever seen. He raised his sword to block it.

 

_Damn it. I can’t fight like this!_

 

He felt the worry from his lion, the desire to help somehow. He couldn’t have said whether it came from Red or Black.

 

He pushed the Galra back and lost him in the darkness.

 

He needed to be able to see, he wasn’t going to get anywhere like this. He just needed to _see_.

 

And then he could, because fire danced on the fingers of his shield arm.

 

He stopped breathing.

 

_But fire means…No! No, damn it all to hell!_

 

He shook the fire out, going blind once more. The darkness was worse than before, his eyes struggling to adjust back to the dim light from his suit.

 

The Galra didn’t have that problem. And Keith’s little light show had told him exactly where he was.

 

It all happened at once, the shot, the flash, the pain. He fell back, not even crying out because his face hurt so badly.

 

The brunt of the shot hit his visor, but his nose and cheeks burned like he’d poured acid on them.

 

Footsteps warned him of the Galra coming to finish the job.

 

Red growled in the back of his mind, demanding that he get up and fight. He’d deal with what that meant later, but for now he climbed to his knees and raised his sword. He barely got it up in time to block the attack, and the Galra was quick to jump back.

 

Red urged him to use the fire again, to light up the tunnel and burn this Galra to a crisp.

 

Keith refused. _I’m supposed to be bonded to Black, dammit!_

He lashed out wildly, swinging in broad arcs that had poor chances of actually hitting his target. But it kept the Galra dancing back, unable to get close again. Keith drew his arm back for another wild swing, but decided last minute to shove a quick thrust forward.

 

It hit, sliding through the Galra’s stomach like a knife in butter. The dark suit was apparently not as strong as their regular armor. The knife and the blaster clattered to the floor, and the Galra dropped to his knees. Keith pulled his sword out and let the Galra fall face-first on the ground

 

“Matt found the ore!” Pidge announced. “It’s closest to Hunk and Allura.” She droned on, but Keith tuned her out while walking back towards the stairs.

 

He had just killed someone.

 

He had just used fire.

 

He was still more bonded to Red, when he was supposed to be bonded with Black.

 

It was no wonder they couldn’t form Voltron.

It was no wonder he couldn’t find Shiro, the one thing that mattered more than anything else right now.

 

 _I’ve been nothing but a failure this whole time_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, the fight between Keith and Lance was unplanned and came out of nowhere while I was writing this. But I think it needed to happen for both of them to grow.   
> And, y'know, angst.   
> Comments are always lovely and appreciated!


	14. Return of Kana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The spider robeast is back, and it's been upgraded. Unfortunately, the same can not be said for the team. Good thing Keith is stubborn.

Despite the success of the raid, it still felt like some kind of failure to Hunk. The ore had been given to the rebels and they’d gone on their way; Keith had spent some time in a cryopod for the blast he took to the face, but he was even more distant that usual. Once he was healed, he’d locked himself in his room and hadn’t come out for anything.

 

That had been two days ago. Hunk wasn’t even sure Keith had eaten in that time.

 

He couldn’t even talk to anyone about his concerns. Lance wouldn’t listen to a single word about Keith, still upset over their fight from before (which was another thing Hunk was worried about. It wasn’t good to let something like this fester for so long). Pidge was busy catching up with Matt and trying to find their father, or she was tied up in her lab trying to find Shiro while Matt talked friendly planets with Allura. And talking with Coran meant talking with Slav, since the little dude never left poor Coran’s side, and Hunk just wasn’t up for dealing with that.

 

Yellow provided what comfort he could, but more than comfort Hunk needed results. When Keith skipped his sixth meal in a row, he decided enough was enough. He took the plate, reheated it, and went to Keith’s room.

 

The door was still broken from something Pidge had done a few days ago, so Hunk had no problem forcing his way in.

 

As it turned out, that was because Keith wasn’t in his room.

 

“Where else would he…duh, it’s Keith.” Hunk shook his head and made for the training deck. Some things would never change.

 

He heard Keith before he got there, but it wasn’t the usual sounds of fighting.

 

“Damn it! Work with me here!”

 

Hunk rushed inside.

 

Keith was on his hands and knees, sweat dripping down his face. Both his hands were clenched into fists, like Keith had slammed the sides of both fists on the floor in frustration.

 

“Uh…everything okay?” Hunk asked.

 

Keith whipped his head to look at him.

 

Hmmm. Catching Keith off guard was never a good sign.

 

Hunk held up the plate and walked over. “Thought you might be hungry by now.”

 

Keith pushed himself up and sat back on his heels, glancing the opposite direction of Hunk. “Thanks.”

 

Hunk set the plate on the ground and took a seat. “So…you okay?”

 

“I’m fine.” The answer was fast, automatic.

 

Suspicious. “Really? ‘Cause you’ve been avoiding all of us pretty hard for the last two days and none of us have any idea why.”

 

Keith winced, and Quiznak if that didn’t confuse Hunk even more. What, had he not expected the team to notice?

 

“We’re worried about you, man. Tell us what’s going on.”

 

Keith looked down at the plate, one hand drifting closer to it but stopping just shy of the rim and settling on the floor instead.

 

“Did Shiro really ignore Lance?” Keith asked.

 

That had been the last possible thing Hunk had expected Keith to say. Really, Keith stating he was a unicorn would have been higher on the list. But it made sense for Keith to be worrying about that.

 

“Sort of,” Hunk said, reaching back to rub the back of his neck. Keith should be talking with Lance about this, but maybe Hunk could push him in the right direction. “It was more like he was quick to shoot Lance’s ideas down, and Lance’s biggest insecurity is feeling like no one needs him, so it hurt a lot more, especially coming from Shiro.”

 

Keith furrowed his brow. “When did Shiro ever do that?”

 

Hunk blew out a breath. Of course Keith had never noticed, why would Hunk have expected any differently. “All the time. Take the time we went to the Blade of Marmora the first time. Lance wanted to go, but Shiro decided you would instead. So Lance pointed out that you’re hotheaded and tend to shoot first ask questions later. No offense.”

 

“None taken.”

 

“Yeah, so, Shiro just didn’t seem to care about Lance’s points. He barely acknowledged them and took you anyway.”

 

“Because Red was the better lion for that flight path, and I had the better reflexes,” Keith stated.

 

“Wow, boastful much?” Hunk asked. Maybe there was some merit behind Lance’s absurd ideas about Keith’s ego. Hunk hadn’t really noticed before; Keith was normally pretty modest, but maybe Hunk had just missed stuff.

 

“What? No. It just made sense. Besides, I needed to go there. I needed answers,” Keith defended.

 

“And I’m sure Shiro knew that,” Hunk allowed. “But he didn’t explain himself to Lance very well. It kind of just looked like favoritism.”

 

Keith went quiet and looked down at the plate he still hadn’t touched. “Do you think it was?”

 

Oh that was a loaded question. But maybe it was time Keith heard this. “A little, kind of. Come on, you can’t deny Shiro took you way more seriously than Lance.”

 

“That’s because it’s _Lance_ and Lance is never serious,” Keith retorted.

 

“And that just goes to show how well you don’t know your teammate,” Hunk said. “Lance might joke a lot, but he can be serious. And even when he’s joking he has good ideas if you’re paying attention. You and Shiro just never paid attention.”

 

Keith went quiet once more, and Hunk could only guess at the thoughts running through his mind. But no one was going to think Lance was less than what he was, not while Hunk was around.

 

“I’m not saying you need to do whatever Lance says. I’ll admit he has zero filter and says a lot of dumb shit.”

 

That drew a small smile from Keith.

 

“But maybe try and take him seriously from now on? And actually listen and think about what he says in meetings?”

 

“I’ll work on it,” Keith said.

 

Hunk nodded. That was half of the issue dealt with. This next part would be messier, and he was probably crossing some boundaries by getting into it, but Keith needed to hear it even more than he needed to hear all the other stuff Hunk had just told him.

 

“I don’t mean to rag on Shiro, but the guy wasn’t perfect. Still a great man, and still a leader I’d follow to hell, probably, but he had his faults. Everyone does. Just…his faults played into my best friend’s insecurity, and I don’t want to see you do the same thing. Lance doesn’t deserve that.”

 

Keith nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind. Do me a favor? Let me know if I do it again?”

 

“I will gladly smack you upside the head when you ignore Lance’s better ideas, no problem,” Hunk readily agreed.

 

Keith frowned, mouth forming several words but failing to produce any sound.

 

Hunk picked up the plate and held it out for Keith. “Now, eat this delicious food I made you. I’m not leaving until I see you eat all of this.”

 

Sighing, Keith took the plate in one hand and the fork in the other. “Some leader I am. Can’t even be trusted to remember to eat.”

 

Well, he wasn’t wrong, Hunk supposed. It really wasn’t very comforting that their ‘leader’ wasn’t taking care of himself, and Hunk didn’t want make excuses for that.

 

“It would be nice if you cared about your own well-being,” Hunk said. “And, you know, stopped avoiding us for unknown reasons. That’s not very leader-like either.”

 

Keith winced again. “Yeah, I know. I just…got wrapped up in my head, I guess.”

 

“See, this is where actually talking to other people would help.”

 

Keith poked the food with his fork, frowning.

 

Hunk sighed. Of course it wasn’t that easy getting Keith to open up. “I know the others have told you you can talk to them, about anything. We mean it, Keith. Whatever’s going on in your head, no matter how stupid you think it is. It will not be a burden to us, I promise.”

 

Keith glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

 

Hunk held his breath and bit down on a smile. Keith was caving, he could see it happening. Just wait it out a few more moments…

 

The alarm blared, startling them both. Keith upturned the plate all over his lap. He glared down at it but got to his feet. “Come on, we better go see.”

 

“Right, of course,” Hunk sighed. Keith had been _so close_ to confiding in him and freaking eating. Now who knew when he’d get another chance?

 

Keith was already out the door. Hunk ran after him, leaving the plate and the ruined dinner on the floor of the training deck.

 

“What’s going on?” Keith demanded when they ran into the control room. They were the last ones there.

 

“That spider robeast is back!” Allura said.

 

“What? We deep-sixed that thing!” Lance complained.

 

“The what now?” Matt asked.

 

“I’ll explain later,” Pidge said, moving towards her chute.

 

“We need to take care of it for good this time,” Allura said, running to the Blue Lion chute.

 

“Hurry! It’s getting closer!” Coran said. Slav was wrapped around him like a scarf, wailing about different realities and percentages.

 

“Let’s go!” Keith said, running towards the Black Lion spot. They were quick to get into their uniforms and settled in their cockpits, and they wasted no time in launching out into space.

 

“So should we just freeze it again?” Lance asked.

 

“That doesn’t seem to have worked,” Keith said. He attempted to fly Black under the range of the tri-blast, but it wasn’t just a tri-blast anymore. Two more beams shot out as well, perpendicular to the original three blasts.

 

“Oh man, this thing got an upgrade? That’s not fair!” Hunk complained. Why did that seem to always happen to their opponents?

 

“We’re going to need Voltron this time,” Allura said. She weaved around the blast with much better control than the last time they’d fought this thing.

 

“We haven’t even practiced that!” Pidge said. She shot a vine beam at the pincers and ducked around the side of the beast, intending to do the same to the back.

 

The legs, though, had apparently gotten an upgrade as well. They shot out and sliced at Green.

 

“Whoa!” Pidge cried out, narrowly spinning out of range.

 

“ _It’s not alone this time either!”_ Coran warned. “ _There’s a whole fleet coming towards us!_ ”

 

Nausea settled in Hunk’s stomach. This was getting worse and worse. “Should we just retreat?” If they couldn’t form Voltron, there was no way they stood a chance against both a robeast _and_ a fleet _._

 

“No, we can do this,” Keith said. “Allura, try and freeze the robeast and buy us some time. Pidge, cover her. Hunk, Lance, you’re with me. We’re taking out that fleet.”

 

“This feels like a very bad idea,” Lance said.

 

“But it’s the only one we’ve got,” Allura said. “Go! Pidge and I will handle this!”

 

It was against Hunk’s better judgement, but he turned towards the fleet with Lance and Keith. Coran and Matt were providing cover where they could, but they couldn’t get too close.

 

The first wave of drone ships was easy to handle. A jawblade, some well-aimed shots, and just flat out ramming them did wonders. It was the second and third waves that surrounded the three that had Hunk worried.

 

“Told you this was a bad idea,” Lance said.

 

“Hold on, we’re coming!” Pidge said.

 

“Is the robeast taken care of?” Keith asked.

 

“Yes, it’s frozen again. Hopefully it will hold long enough for us to handle this fleet,” Allura said. She came storming in with her ice ray, freezing a row of ships as she passed over.

 

“Alright!” Lance cheered, breaking out of the circle and going back on the offensive.

 

Hunk grinned and slammed the thrusters forward, ramming into a few ships. Yeah, this was much better.

 

Keith used the jaw-blade and did the same maneuver, slicing through his ships instead of ramming them. “Alright, good, we’ve got the advantage, just don’t stop—”

 

Coran cut him off. “ _I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the spider beast is breaking free!”_

 

“What?” everyone asked.

 

Sure enough, the beast was using the new sharpened blade legs to slice through the ice, and had managed to crack enough of it to free its head.

 

A terrible feeling settled in Hunk’s stomach. “We _have_ to use Voltron on it.”

 

“It’d be nice if we could,” Lance said.

 

“We will,” Keith stated. “Everyone, fly high and regroup. We’re doing this.”

 

“Uh, _how_?” Pidge asked.

 

“Just trust me.”

 

He led the way above the fight, the others following close behind. It didn’t give them much of a chance to regroup, but if it worked they wouldn’t need much time.

 

“Okay, form Voltron!” Keith yelled.

 

Hunk threw all of his mental focus into just that, reaching out for the others with his mind. Normally, it was like fitting a bunch of puzzle pieces together, a seamless fit. This time, it felt like all the pieces were in the wrong position; they didn’t click together.

 

Keith reached out to him, a mental hand wrapping around a yellow thread and drawing it closer, picking up a green thread in the same hand. A glimpse of the other hand showed blue and red threads wrapped tight in his grasp.

 

Keith was forcing the connection, _willing_ them to form Voltron.

 

“Dude…” Lance muttered.

 

It didn’t feel like their normal transformations. It was clunky and awkward; they felt barely connected, but they were connected.

 

They had formed Voltron.

 

“Alright, now let’s take this fleet out,” Keith said. “Hunk, shoulder cannon!”

 

It was just reflex to shove his bayard in its slot at those words. Thankfully the cannon formed much easier than Voltron had, and Hunk was quick to utilize it. Half the fleet was decimated in seconds.

 

“Incoming!” Lance warned.

 

They just barely avoided a blast from the spider beast. Their flying wasn’t synced, not like it normally was. It took them more time to catch on to what the others were trying to do, and their default was just to follow Keith’s impulses instead of trying to force their own. They’d break apart if they didn’t.

 

“Pidge, see what your bayard makes!” Keith said.

 

It would have to be Pidge, because Lance still had the blue bayard in the Red lion and Keith had the red bayard in the black lion, and Allura didn’t have a bayard.

 

“Here goes nothing!” Pidge said.

 

Whenever the others used their bayards, it sent a jolt up Hunk’s spine while the coding burst to life, like a rush of adrenaline only more exciting.

 

“A spear?” Lance questioned.

 

“An _electric_ spear,” Pidge corrected.

 

Hunk could hear the grin in her voice.

 

“Get me close to the thing’s mouth, I have an idea!” Pidge said. Sprinkles of her thought process trickled through their connection.

 

He liked what he saw.

 

“You heard her,” Keith said. Did his voice sound strained, or was that just Hunk?

 

They all screamed, flying towards the spider’s mouth. It shot a beam at them, and they spun up and to the left, finding a narrow gap of safety.

 

Pidge jabbed with the spear once they were close enough, forced to do it a few times as the spider evaded them. “Come here you little bug.”

 

Finally, Pidge stabbed the thing in the mouth. “Eat this, you creep!” she shouted. She activated the spear.

 

The lights in the cockpit dimmed, any excess power being drawn into the spear and shot into the spider’s body.

 

It convulsed, all eight legs spazzing. Something inside the beast must have overheated, because it exploded, sending Voltron flying head over heels.

 

“Yeah! Way to go Pidge!” Lance cheered.

 

“We still have a warship down there,” Allura reminded them.

 

“Not a problem. Pidge, Lance lasers,” Keith said.

 

It wasn’t Hunk’s imagination; Keith’s voice did sound strained. That was worrisome.

 

Pidge pulled out her bayard. “Whoo, let’s do it!”

 

Lance cheered and they flew towards the warship, taking out a few of the remaining fleet as well. Then they tore into the warship, blasting every part of it they could.

 

The warship retreated into hyperdrive, leaving the rest of the fleet to fend for themselves.

 

“Aw, we only get these guys to play with now?” Lance asked.

 

“Guys, I don’t think I can hold us together much longer,” Keith admitted.

 

For a moment, Hunk and everyone else caught a glimpse of the pressure Keith was putting on himself, of the migraine bursting behind Keith’s eyes, of the struggle he had remembering to just breathe.

 

“Quiznak, Keith, why didn’t you say something!” Allura demanded.

 

“Needed…Voltron…” he said.

 

“Well you can stop now!” Pidge said. “Let go!”

 

He did with a gasp, and the lions went spinning away from each other. For most of them, they only needed a second to right themselves. Lance had to physically stop Black.

 

Hunk wondered if Keith had even known he was spinning.

 

“Alright, let’s take out the rest of this fleet and get back to the castle,” Lance said. “Mullet here needs a nap.”

 

“Shut up,” Keith growled, but it lacked any energy or bite.

 

Cleaning up the fleet wasn’t much of a problem. The castle came by to pick them up, and they flew back into their hangers.

 

“Can you walk on your own, Mullet?” Lance asked.

 

“M’fine,” Keith said.

 

“Yeah, Red doesn’t believe that, and she’s starting to make me freak out.”

 

Granted, Red was prone to overreacting where Keith was concerned. But Yellow was also worried, and that in turn had Hunk worried.

 

 _Not natural_ , Yellow said. _Voltron should never be forced like that_.

 

Hunk climbed out of Yellow, pat his snout, and moved towards the hallway to meet the others. Thank goodness their helmets kept them all in contact.

 

“Let’s meet in the infirmary,” Allura said. “Keith, are you sure you can make it on your own?”

 

Keith didn’t answer.

 

“Oh Quiznak,” Lance muttered. “Alright, Red, sheesh, I’m going!”

 

“What happened?” Pidge asked.

 

“I don’t know, but Red’s about ready to throw a tantrum,” Lance said. “ _Ow_ she did not like that.”

 

Hunk was running before he’d even thought about it. Something bad had happened, he knew it.

 

He wasn’t the only one worried, either. They all made it to the black hanger about the same time, but Lance didn’t pause to look at the others, instead running right in and charging up Black’s hatch. They followed close at his heels.

 

It felt too much like the last time they’d run into Black’s cockpit, and Hunk had a terrible feeling they weren’t going to find Keith at all, just like they hadn’t found Shiro.

 

But no, Keith was there, lying face-down on the floor with a bloody nose.

 

“Let’s get him to the infirmary, quickly,” Allura said.

 

Hunk carried him. Coran, Slav, and Matt were already there, pod ready and waiting. Hunk set him in, and glass slid shut.

 

“Is he going to be okay?” Lance asked.

 

Coran typed away on the controls. “It looks like it’s just exhaustion. Some rest and a few good meals and he’ll be good as new.”

 

“We still have a problem, though,” Allura said. “We’re going to need Voltron again, and we can’t rely on Keith forcing the transformation again.”

 

“Agreed,” Pidge said. “But what can we do?”

 

“We’ll need to practice more,” Allura said. “We’ve been lax about it these last few days, but as soon as Keith’s back on his feet we need to get back to it.”

 

For once, no one argued with her.

 

Xx

 

Waking up was a slow process for Keith. His limbs were heavy and everything ached, especially his head. He curled onto his side and cradled his head in his hands.

 

 _What the hell happened_? He didn’t remember going to sleep all battered from training. Actually, come to think of it, he didn’t remember going to sleep.

 

He groaned again and tried to think back. They’d been fighting that robeast, and he’d successfully gotten them to form Voltron. The warship had fled, and they’d come back to the castle…Allura said something about meeting in the infirmary, so Keith had stood in the cockpit…and then the world had spun and he woke up in his bed.

 

Okay, so he passed out, then. But why was he in his room instead of a cryopod? Not that he was complaining, the pods honestly freaked him out a little, but he was confused.

 

Whatever. He could deal with the achiness of his body. He had things to do.

 

He swung his legs over the side of his bed and planted his feet on the floor. It took a moment for the world to properly orient itself in his vision, but when it did he pushed himself to stand, one hand still clutching his head.

 

The world tilted dangerously, and there was a moment he worried he’d just collapse again.

 

Growls of concern echoed in his head, but they only worsened the headache pulsing behind his eyes so he ignored them.

 

He needed to get to Black’s hanger. They had to strengthen their bond. If they needed Voltron again, they couldn’t count on Keith being able to hold it together like that again, especially if it was going to leave him like this afterwards.

 

Walking was a struggle. He kept one hand on his head and the other against the wall. The floor kept shifting under him, and part of him considered turning back and getting more rest. He would never make it to the hangers like this.

 

Red growled an agreement in his head, urging him to turn back now while he still stood a chance of making it back to his room.

 

He gnashed his teeth together and attempted to stand a little straighter.

 

 _This is foolish_ , Red told him. _You cannot force a bond. It takes time and trust_.

 

 _I don’t have time,_ Keith argued. _Lotor could send another monster after us any minute, we need to be able to form Voltron_.

 

 _This is not the way to do it_ , Red growled.

 

Keith wanted to growl right back. _Well it doesn’t help that you’re still in my head! Why doesn’t Black tell me this? Oh, wait, it’s because our bond isn’t strong enough for her to reach me this far! Which is exactly my point!_

 

The argument was at least accomplishing one thing: He was waking up a little more, which made the floor stay where it was supposed to and allowed his steps to be quicker and surer of themselves, and ultimately meant he reached the hanger faster.

 

 _I told you before you would still be_ my _paladin!_ Red roared.

 

 _Well maybe that’s the problem!_ Keith yelled. He stumbled into Black’s hanger, his balance questionable now that he’d lost the wall to support himself. Black loomed over him, silent, and he thought he felt a touch of disappointment streaming from her.

 

Red roared angrily, and then abruptly the connection between them silenced. He was startlingly alone in his own mind, something that hadn’t happened in half a year. Even back on earth, he’d had the presence of the Blue lion in his mind, even if he didn’t communicate with it.

 

He allowed himself to drop to his knees in front of Black, head hung low. “I shouldn’t have said that to her.”

 

Black didn’t say anything back to him. He hadn’t really expected her to.

 

“I know it’s not her fault; it’s mine. I’m the one who can’t let go of her enough to properly bond with you, and part of me doesn’t even want to bond with you.”

 

His hands trembled against his knees. Clenching them into fists did little to stop it.

 

“I just…I’ve already lost so many people…I don’t want to lose Red, too. And bonding with you feels too much like giving up on Shiro, and I won’t do that.”

 

Black sent a nudge of understanding. She wouldn’t give up on Shiro either. _Our arrangement is reaching it’s end_ , Black said. _The strain it is putting on everyone cannot last much longer_.

 

“No, it can’t,” Keith said. Words were a good sign. Black didn’t often speak words to him, so this was good. “Can you…can you still feel Shiro?”

 

_He is still alive. He wants to return, desperately._

 

The confirmation was major relief for Keith, and some of the tenseness in his shoulders eased out.

 

“Can you track him yet?”

 

_No. The distance is still too great, and our bond too fragile._

 

Keith sighed. That would have been too easy.

 

_Perhaps, though…_

 

“What?” Keith asked. He tried not to let the hope build in him.

 

_If we were to temporarily merge our minds, your bond with Shiro might be enough to amplify my bond with him, enough to locate him._

 

“Then let’s do it!” Keith shouted, looking up at Black.

 

 _Not right now. You are still weakened from earlier. Forcing a mind meld like this could kill you_.

 

He did not want to be told no, but no matter how he argued or begged, Black wouldn’t budge. Eventually she just went silent, leaving him to sulk out of the room.

 

He still felt achy, and the headache hadn’t really gone away yet, but he didn’t want to go back to his room yet. He made his way for the kitchen instead; he’d probably missed at least one meal by now, not to mention all the ones he’d skipped before the robeast’s attack. He should really get a handle on that.  

 

It shouldn’t have surprised him as much as it did to run into one of the others. Seeing Matt still caught him off guard a little.

 

“Hey, you’re up!” Matt smiled. He sat on a stool next to the island, a plate of green goo in front of him. His crutch leaned up against the island next to him. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Sore,” Keith replied. He picked up a plate and grabbed the nozzle for the goo. He didn’t have the energy to try and find anything else.

 

“I guess that’s to be expected,” Matt said.

 

Keith sat down across from him. “What are you doing up?”

 

“Nightmare,” Matt shrugged.

 

“About the Galra?” Keith guessed.

 

Matt nodded. He twisted his spork in his goo. “I know I’m not a prisoner anymore; I haven’t been in months. But part of me keeps expecting to wake up, like this has all been a dream and tomorrow I’m going to die in the gladiator arena.”

 

“It’s not easy to get over,” Keith said. “Shiro still had nightmares, too, and he doesn’t even remember most of it.”

 

“Lucky him,” Matt said.

 

A question bounced around in Keith’s mouth, something he’d never wanted to ask Shiro. Matt’s answer felt safer, somehow, no matter what it would be. “Do you ever regret going on the Kerberos mission?”

 

Matt twisted his spork a few more times before answering. “Despite everything, no, I don’t. I went on that mission hoping to find proof of aliens. I’d say I got exactly what I want, and then some. It’s just so fascinating out here…all the different species and all the different technology they’ve developed.”

 

“We never could have dreamed it would be anything like this,” Keith agreed.

 

Matt laughed. “No, we sure couldn’t have. I’m just sorry Katie got dragged into all this.

 

Keith snorted. “Are you kidding? She’s completely in her element out here. All of us are, really.”

 

Matt raised a brow. “Even a socially inept feral desert child like you?”

 

“As a half-breed alien, surprisingly, yes, I’m completely in my element here in space.”

 

“Wait, half-breed alien?” Matt repeated.

 

Ohhh, right, they hadn’t gotten around to explaining that little detail yet to him.

 

Keith shrunk in on himself. He’d gotten used to the others not caring about it, so he hadn’t thought anything of the joke. But Matt was a new variable. Matt just admitted he still had nightmares about the Galra. How could Keith admit he was one of them?

 

“Keith?” Matt asked.

 

Oh well, just like the first time he told everyone; it was easier to say it and get it over with than try and dance around the subject for days. Matt would find out one way or another regardless.

 

“Turns out I have Galra blood in me.” His voice was a flat monotone, and he didn’t lift his gaze from the green goo still on his plate. “I don’t know how much, but it’s enough to work their tech.”

 

Matt didn’t say anything at first, and Keith was too coward to look at his face and see what emotions were there.

 

“So you’re actually an alien,” Matt said. “This explains so much about you.”

 

Keith looked up in surprise. Matt had a thoughtful look on his face, his chin in his hands and a finger tapping against his cheek.

 

“You don’t…you’re not mad?”

 

“What, that you’re Galra?” Matt asked. “It’s a shock, I’ll admit, but you still look like Keith.” He shrugged. “Besides, I don’t think you would have risked your life trying to form Voltron today if you secretly wanted to kill everyone.”

 

Keith let out a breath of relief.

 

“But if you turn purple and grow fuzzy ears I make no promises about not beating you with my crutch,” Matt said.

 

That startled a laugh out of Keith. “That’s fair.”

 

Matt grinned. “So how does it work? How different are you biologically? I mean, you have to be pretty close to a human, since you didn’t suspect anything when you were on earth.”

 

Nope, this was not a conversation Keith wanted to have. “You know, I think I could use some more sleep. I’m going to go back to bed.” He practically threw his plate in the wash and bolted from the room.

 

“No, wait, I have so many questions!” Matt called after him. “Which of your ancestors _did it_ with an alien?”

 

Keith didn’t know if he would ever turn purple, but he did know he was turning red right now.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I very much enjoy a playful Matt. He's fun to work with. 
> 
> Feedback is always greatly appreciated!


	15. The Answer is No, Shiro Will Not Ever Catch A Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro is McFreaking done with life. The Universe can meet him on the astral plane and Fight Him.

 

Of all the planets Shiro could have ended up on, he ended up on the same one as the Galra prince. His luck was the absolute worst. Seriously, if Pidge could find a way to bottle his luck, they’d have a lethal weapon on their hands.

 

And as if seeing the prince wasn’t bad enough, _his pod quiznaking exploded_. Because the universe actually hated him.

 

He didn’t know what had happened. Everything had seemed fine; he was rushing the take-off a little, but all the systems had been reading normal. Unless one of the scanners was broken, which Shiro would have no way of knowing. Especially now, since the ship was in freaking pieces.

 

All things considered, he wasn’t that badly hurt. His face was a little singed, and if his right arm wasn’t already metal he might have fared a lot worse. Even his paladin armor had made it out in one piece, which was a relief because the clothes from the pirates were now ruined.

 

Really, he’d been lucky. He was just pissed he lost his ride. Now how was he supposed to get to Olkari?

 

He’d figure it out once he was off this planet and as far away from the Galra prince as he could get. Priorities.

 

After changing into his armor, he snuck around the port looking for outgoing ships. It wasn’t hard to find one getting ready to take off, and he only felt marginally bad about phasing through the hull into the cargo bay. He just wanted off this planet and he didn’t care how.

 

The ship launched a few minutes later. He stayed hidden with the cargo long after they’d left the planet’s atmosphere, mostly because he hadn’t thought this far ahead.

 

He had no idea where this ship was going. They were probably heading in the opposite direction he wanted to go. And what if the trip was a long one? Was he just going to hide in the cargo bay for weeks?

 

Quiznak. He really hadn’t thought this through.

 

Well, first things first. He needed to find out where they were headed, which meant emerging from his hiding spot. Maybe if he played it cool, no one would know he was a stowaway. And if they did, he’d just phase through the walls until the ship landed again. Everything would be fine.

 

He slipped out into the hall and strode purposefully in a random direction. His best bet was probably to find some random crewmember and ask some questions.

 

He nodded, plan in mind, and sought someone out.

 

It wasn’t hard. The crew was still scrambling around in early flight routines, double-checking that the launch hadn’t disrupted anything. He found an alien similar in species to Grobtist with her hands deep in a control panel after just a few minutes.

 

Still without any real plan, he walked right up to her. “Hey.”

 

She glanced at him. “What do you want?”

 

“Do you remember where we’re heading? I wasn’t paying attention before.” Shiro flashed a toothy smile, a look that would have girls on earth swooning.

 

It was decidedly less effective on aliens.

 

“What kind of idiot are you?” she mumbled. “We’re heading back to Kyswa.”

 

That meant absolutely nothing to him.

 

“Right, right,” Shiro said, mind scrambling for some kind of follow-up question that wouldn’t be too suspicious. “How long are we going to be there again?”

 

She paused in her work and gave him a look. “It’s our home port, you fabcax, we’ll be there for four quintents like always.”

 

“Right, silly me.” He was pretty sure fabcax was some kind of insult, but it was pretty useless when he had no idea what it meant.

 

“Why don’t you go do something useful instead of bothering me?” she growled, turning back to the control panel she was adjusting.

 

“Yeah, yeah I’ll go do that,” Shiro said, turning on his heel and striding away from her. Somehow, it felt like the pirates had been friendlier.

 

Oh well, beggars couldn’t be choosers. But he still needed more information. And, if he was honest with himself, after so many quintents of flying alone through space just having actual conversations with other living things was nice.

 

He found someone else carrying a stack of crates through a hall. “Hey, want me to take one?” Shiro offered.

 

The alien looked back at him. He was human enough, but his limbs were all tentacles and he pushed himself along the ground instead of walked. The alien shrugged. “Be my guest.”

 

Shiro took the top crate and followed the alien to wherever he was going. “So…I’ve never actually been to Kwysa. Joined up after your last trip there. What’s it like?” Shiro asked.

 

“It’s a trading port like any other,” the alien said. “Tends to favor more food than anything else, I suppose.”

 

Okay, good, Shiro could work with that. “Think I’d be able to find anyone heading towards Olkari?”

 

“Olkari?” he repeated. “You might be able to convince someone to head there, but Kwysa is too far from Olkari to regularly trade with them.”

 

Shiro had been afraid of that. He’d have to hitchhike a few more times then.

 

The alien walked into a storage room and put his box down. “Just set that one on top.”

 

Shiro did as told. The box hadn’t been particularly heavy, and he had to wonder what was in it. “Can I ask you one more thing?”

 

The alien was already walking out, so Shiro jogged to catch up and keep following him. “Feel free.”

 

“Have you heard anything about Voltron recently?”

 

The alien laughed. “You’re a fanatic, aren’t you?”

 

“That obvious?” Shiro joked along. Whatever made the question harmless.

 

“Can’t say I’ve heard much about them lately, but there were rumors that Voltron was seen in a big battle outside the Glyv galaxy.”

 

Shiro’s gut twisted. They were fighting? He knew the empire wasn’t as crippled as he’d expected, but this made it sound like their big plan to defeat Zarkon hadn’t worked in the slightest.

 

“Do you think Voltron can actually take Zarkon down?” Shiro asked.

 

The alien glanced around before leaning down and speaking quietly so only Shiro could hear. “Between you and me, I’m not so sure they haven’t already.”

 

“What do you mean?” He didn’t want to get his hopes up, but…

 

“Rumor has it Prince Lotor is out and about, hunting Voltron down in his father’s stead. But from what I understand of our emperor, nothing could keep him away from Voltron. So I figure the only reason the Prince is handling it now is because Emperor Zarkon can’t.”

 

Shiro couldn’t help the grin on his face. Maybe that last battle hadn’t been as fruitless as he’d been thinking.

 

“Besides, we haven’t had any new edicts in three weeks now, which is highly unlikely,” the alien went on. “It’s like the Emperor is missing. Listen the next time we’re planet-side; it’s all anyone’s talking about. I don’t know how you missed it in the last market.”

 

“I, um, was busy. With a girl.” That should be a decent alibi.

 

The alien laughed. “Now it makes sense.”

 

Shiro tried to keep the smile on his face, but it was forced and awkward.

 

“What’s your name, by the way?” the alien asked. “I don’t think I’ve run into you before.”

 

“Oh, uh, no, you wouldn’t have, I only just joined the crew,” Shiro said, mind racing. It was probably a bad idea to give his real name, he needed an alias, fast, something believable by aliens, which meant any Earth name was out… “I’m Wirst.”

 

“Well, welcome aboard, Wirst. I’m Bulecix.”

 

“Thanks,” Shiro said. They came to an intersection in the hallway, and Shiro used this to escape after seeing what way Bulecix was heading. “I’ll see you around!” He waved and walked off the opposite direction.

 

He liked Bulecix. He was going to make sure he didn’t run into him again so he could avoid accidentally giving away his stowaway position.

 

Xx

 

It took quintents to reach Kyswa. As soon as the ship landed, Shiro phased out of the wall and dropped to the ground, and he was quick to get lost in the crowd. He’d done a decent enough job avoiding people, and he’d only stolen as little food as he needed to survive. All in all, he was in a pretty good position right now.

 

He’d find a ship heading towards Olkari, or at least one that will get him in the right direction. He could do this.

 

The line of ships docked on Kyswa was long, with ships of every size and shape in one neat strip. He talked to a few crew members, straight up asking if any were heading in the direction he needed. The first few were all a no, but then he saw a ship he recognized.

 

It was just as beat up as he remembered, and judging by the open toolboxes it was just as rundown as he remembered too.

 

The sight of it makes his rage boil. Part of him had really hoped they’d been picked up and arrested by the Galra after he and his team had left their broken ship on an asteroid.

 

Apparently, the luck of the morally corrupt was much better than his.

 

Rolo himself emerged from one of the panels he was fixing, wiping a hand over his brow. When he went to put his current tool back and pick out another one, his gaze locked on Shiro.

 

“Well, look who it is,” Rolo said, standing up and brushing his pants off.

 

Shiro, arms tightly crossed, reluctantly walked closer.

 

“Don’t suppose your yellow guy is here with you? He was a whiz at this repair stuff,” Rolo said.

 

“You’re lucky he’s not, after the stunt you pulled,” Shiro said.

 

Rolo winced and rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess you’re still mad about that,” he said.

 

“You tried to steal one of the lions! And you tied one of my teammates to a tree!”

 

“Yeah…it wasn’t our finest moment,” Rolo allowed. “But when you’re out there all alone, you do what you have to do to survive.”

 

Shiro’s anger faded all at once. That had practically been his mantra for the last three weeks. How could he stay mad at them when he probably would have done the same thing in their position?

 

“Anyway, from what I understand some thanks are in order,” Rolo said. “Seems like you did manage to take Zarkon down after all.”

 

Shiro certainly hoped they had. “There’s still a lot of work to do.”

 

“Well, hey, if there’s anything we can do to help, just let us know,” Rolo said. “We kind of owe you.”

 

Shiro gave a wry smile. “You can say that again.” He knew exactly how Rolo could make it up to him, but he wasn’t entirely sure he could trust the man.

 

“Hey, Rolo, we’re going to need a whole new targeting system,” Nyma called from inside, walking down the gangplank. “I can’t do a thing with-oh, hello.”

 

Shiro watched her warily while she came to stand next to Rolo, their little robot following dutifully behind her.

 

“It’s good to see you again,” Nyma said.

 

“You too, especially if Rolo meant what he just said.”

 

Nyma narrowed her eyes at him. “What did you promise?”

 

He held his hands up. “I just said if there was anything we could to help Voltron they just needed to ask.”

 

Nyma sighed and shook her head. “Don’t you ever think before you speak?”

 

“Relax,” Shiro said. “All I was going to ask for was a ride.”

 

That brought both of them up short and they turned to look at him. “What happened to your lion?”

 

“And your friends?” Nyma asked.

 

“We got separated,” Shiro said simply. “I’m trying to make my way back, but I don’t have any way to contact them.”

 

Rolo and Nyma shared a glance, a silent conversation happening with just their faces.

 

The conclusion of it was Nyma groaning and throwing her hands up. “Fine! We’ll give him a ride once we’re operational again.” She stormed back into the cockpit.

 

Rolo shrugged and smiled at Shiro. “Can’t blame her for being paranoid.”

 

“Trust me, I’m not the type to lead others into a trap.”

 

Rolo winced. “Fair enough. Where did you want us to take you?”

 

“Do you know Olkari?”

 

“Sure. It’s a good distance though; probably take us at least three quintents to get there. Assuming this hunk of junk doesn’t break on the way there.”

 

“It’s better than my other options right now,” Shiro stated.

 

“Yeah, I’d guess so,” Rolo said. He turned back to the ship. “We should have her up and running by the end of the day, assuming Nyma can work her magic with the controls.”

 

“As long as we can make it to Olkari,” Shiro said. “They’re a technology based people; they can probably offer some better repairs once we’re there as thanks.”

 

Rolo’s eyes widened. “Well, that’s some incentive if I ever heard any. Just sit tight, I’ll get this heap back in the air one way or another.” He turned back to the panel he’d been messing with before, leaving Shiro to find some shade to sit down in.

 

He didn’t know if the was really a good idea or not. On the one hand, Rolo at least seemed like he genuinely wanted to help Shiro. Nyma certainly didn’t, but she didn’t act like she was about to call the Galra either. At least not that Shiro knew of. For all he knew, she was already phoning them right now.

 

He would have to give them the benefit of the doubt. Who knew? Maybe it would actually work out and he’d make it to Olkari after all. It certainly seemed like that was turning into quite a pipe dream. But even he had to have good luck sometimes, right?

 

Xx

 

Rolo did indeed have his ship up and running by the end of the day, and they wasted no time in taking off.

 

Once they left Kyswa’s atmosphere, they settled into a more permanent awkward atmosphere in the cockpit. Nyma had dug out another chair for Shiro to use, but she’d been careful to keep her back to him as soon as he boarded. He didn’t understand the hostility; it’s not like _he_ was the one who tricked her partner, chained him to a tree, and stole his lion.

 

Rolo tried to bridge the gap between them, but neither one was willing to open up in front of the other, and his attempts fell flat. Only the robot was unaffected.

 

Pidge would have loved another chance to play with the robot. She’d been all over the thing last time, acting like the kid she actually was. He smiled fondly at the memory. God he missed his team. But hopefully he’d see them again in just a few quintents.

 

The first quintent passed in barely tolerable silence. Rolo and Nyma traded off shifts piloting, so the only reason they stopped was to refuel and pick up some more supplies. That was fine by Shiro. He didn’t have much to say to those two.

 

The universe decided things were working too well for Shiro halfway through the second quintent. They were _halfway there_ when it all went very, very wrong.

 

They crossed paths with a Galra patrol. This, in itself, wouldn’t have been the end of the world. The fact that Rolo and Nyma were fugitives and their ship was marked, however, meant trouble.

 

An incoming transmission overrode their screen and opened on its own. A mean looking Galra with a scar diagonally across his face greeted them. “Space craft I-3284028, you have been identified as rogue. Prepare for immediate arrest and questioning.”

 

“Wait!” Nyma said, jumping up. “We’d like to offer a trade for our freedom!”

 

The Galra widened one eye. “What could you possibly offer us?”

 

She grabbed Shiro’s arm and dragged him into view before he even knew what she was planning.

 

“We have the Black Paladin of Voltron with us. We’ll give him up if you just let us go.”

 

“Nyma, what are you doing?” Rolo hissed.

 

“He’s not worth our lives,” she hissed back.

 

Shiro just growled and yanked his arm out of her grasp.

 

“We accept your offer,” the Galra said. “Prepare to be boarded.” The transmission cut out.

 

Shiro glared at Nyma. “I never should have trusted you.” He activated his full helmet and phased through the floor, dropping into empty space. His life support was fully replenished by now, he could last a good long while. Maybe even long enough to get to Olkari.

 

He wasn’t sure how he’d survive entering the atmosphere, but he’d worry about that later.

 

Jet packs on full thrusters, he tried to get away from the ships as fast as he could.

 

Key word here, _tried_.

 

He’d barely made it anywhere before a pink beam of light surrounded him and he was dragged in the other direction.

 

 _Tractor beams. How could I have forgotten about tractor beams?!_ His jet packs weren’t strong enough, no matter what he did. Even he went perpendicular to the pull, as if the beam was a riptide in the ocean, he still couldn’t escape.

 

The doors of an airlock closed around him like the jaws of death. Five Galra were waiting for him, blasters primed and ready. One slapped a pair of handcuffs on him and started dragging him through the halls.

 

The ship jolted, the tell-tale sign of warp-drive. He recognized it from his days as a prisoner.

 

Bile rose in his throat. He was a prisoner _again_ , after everything. After all that work he’d put into getting away, into _fighting_ them, he was right back where he started. No, he was worse off than when he started. Now he was worth something. They’d take him straight to central command, and Haggar would go to town on him again. If she even kept him alive. She might decide to kill him on sight.

 

He was thrown into a cell, and something primal in him demanded he turn and rush the door, just in case he could slip past the five guards. All he did was slam into the door when it slid shut. He yelled and threw his weight against it.

 

If he ever saw Rolo or Nyma again, he was going to _kill_ them. That was twice they’d betrayed him. He should have known better. And he’d almost been to Olkari. They’d been a quintent and a half away, and now he was who quiznaking knew where in the universe, a prisoner of the Galra once again.

 

He yelled and punched the door with both handcuffed hands again. Stupid Galra with their stupid cells and stupid handcuffs.

 

The ship pulled out of warp drive with another jolt, much sooner than he’d expected. Maybe there were closer to central command than he’d thought. But that didn’t make sense; Olkari was relatively far from their command center…ah, so they’d need more than one jump to get there, then. But the ship would need a recharge period first.

 

And if Shiro could escape before that and sabotage the system, he’d buy himself a little more time to escape off the ship altogether. Now, he just needed a way out of this cell…

 

He slammed both palms against his face. _Hello_ , ghost powers. He could have already been out of this cell if he’d calmed down and thought about it logically earlier.

 

First he phased out of the handcuffs, and it was immensely satisfying to hear them clank on the floor. Then he phased through the floor, avoiding the guard no doubt stationed outside his door. He landed on a sentry and took it out of commission, stealing the gun for himself.

 

He snuck through the halls, ducking behind sections of wall he needed to. It was practically easy to reach the engine room, and since there were no guards in there he found the warp drive generator quickly. He shot it four times, just because he could. And when the sound of running reached his ears, he waited until the Galra rushed in and then waved while he phased through the wall.

 

The looks on their faces was priceless.

 

Okay, so he might be stuck on a Galra warship, unable to reach his friends for the time being, and they might still be on their way to Zarkon and Haggar, but his ghost power gave him the ultimate advantage and _he was going to enjoy this so much_.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I have too much fun writing this? Yes, yes I did. Am I sorry? No, not at all. Shiro haunting the Galra is just too good.


	16. I Rewrote This Monster Three Times Just Take It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red is still mad at Keith, and poor Lance is stuck in the middle of it. Do you know how hard it is to also be mad at someone when a magic robot lion keeps yelling concerns about said person in your head? It's very hard. Just ask Lance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be honest: I'm not entirely happy with this chapter. I feel like it could have come out better, but it's six thousand words long, I already rewrote most of it three times, and I'm just. Done. Accept it for what it is, yell at me in the comments, it's fine. Just take it.

Lotor was not happy to have to repair his ship again so soon. They were lucky there was anything left to repair, he knew, but it still angered him all the same. Voltron was supposed to be _destroyed_ already, and here he was licking his wounds. Maahox’s excuses did little to mollify him; he’d almost strangled the inventor right then and there.

 

Hearing it would take six quintents to get everything up and running again only enraged him further.

 

“Perhaps the Lord should do some shopping? Maahox suggested.

 

Lotor paused in his tirade; he’d been pacing back and forth in his quarters, yelling his frustrations very loudly. “Shopping?” Lotor repeated.

 

“It has always helped to destress the young Lord in the past,” Maahox said.

 

Well, that was true. Shopping did calm him down in a way little else could. And this port was well-known for its rare items…

 

It would take his mind off things, at any rate. And he’d be in a better mood that evening while working on a new plan to destroy Voltron.

 

“Very well,” Lotor said. “Call my guards.” Hopefully the reception on this planet was more welcoming than the last.

 

His conclusion, two vargas later, was that this planet was worse. When he first stepped out into the market, the streets had been crawling with people every shape and size. There had hardly been room to walk, even after his presence had been noticed and people had moved aside for him. But after two vargas, the streets were practically deserted. It was the middle of the quintent, peak varga for a market like this, and the only people around were the shopkeepers. And even then, half of them were trembling and trying not to make eye contact with him.

 

This…wasn’t right. This isn’t how people should treat the prince. They should prostrate themselves, sure, and show him high respect, like the people of his colony, but this wasn’t respect. This was fear, pure and simple. And they weren’t doing this just because he was the prince; most of them probably had no idea who he was, but the fact he was Galra was more than enough for them.

 

“Is it like this everywhere in the universe?” Lotor asked his guards.

 

The guards _laughed_. “Of course it is,” one of them said. “We’ve spent decaphebes training the peasants to respect us.”

 

There was so much wrong with that sentence, Lotor didn’t even know where to begin. He turned back towards his broken ship, cape flaring out behind him. “Send out the word to all crew that no one is to leave the ship without my permission.”

 

“What? Why?” one of his guards asked. “You can’t treat us like your prisoners.”

 

Lotor gnashed his teeth. “And these people don’t deserve to be treated like however you soldiers are treating them. This is their home; we’re guests here, but I have the feeling some soldiers abuse that hospitality.”

 

The guards grumbled behind him. He even heard one of them ask “Are we sure this is Emperor Zarkon’s son?”

 

He didn’t know if that was an insult or a compliment anymore. He’d always been proud to be the prince before, but now…what exactly was he the prince of?

 

Maybe it was time to find out. He’d been busy governing his colony for the last decaphebe, so matters of the empire at large had escaped his attention for the most part. It wasn’t as if he’d thought his father was about to go anywhere, and things seemed to be running smoothly. Clearly, this had been a mistake.

 

Upon returning to the ship, he locked himself in his quarters. His order was spread around the ship, and he heard the grumbling any time a patrol passed by outside his door. Several men sucked up their pride and asked for leave, but unless their purpose was related to fixing the ship, he denied them. The people’s trust in the Galra was already shattered; he wouldn’t allow them to damage it anymore.

 

After a full quintent, the men stopped asking.

 

Lotor spent the time neck deep in research, looking at every step his father had taken in the last few years and examining it in a new light.

 

In the last year alone, Zarkon had conquered eight individual planets and taken over five entire systems. Twelve different planets were reported as completely dead, drained entirely of quintessence.

 

He sat back in his chair, fingers folded together just under his nose. _What exactly has my father been up to?_

 

The empire was supposed to stand for unity. Taking control of the entire universe would unite everyone under one ruler, and once everyone was united there would be no more reason for war, because everyone would have access to everyone else’s resources. Everyone would be allies.

 

That was what he’d always been taught. The rebels that popped up every so often were those opposed to change, the ones who didn’t understand his father’s incredible vision.

 

And sure, he knew his father was strict, but he was trying to bring the _entire universe_ together. He couldn’t be lenient, too much would slip out of his control. But maybe…maybe his father could have afforded just a few pardons over the years?

 

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. “Come in,” he granted.

 

Maahox stepped through. “Prince Lotor.” He inclined his head.

 

“What is it?” The ship couldn’t be ready yet, it was too soon.

 

“The men are growing restless. They wish to be allowed off the ship, and they don’t understand why you won’t allow it. For that matter, neither do I.”

 

Lotor didn’t answer right away. He took a deep breath first, and then another. And then, instead of explaining, he asked his own question. “What do you think of the Galra Empire?”

 

“In what way?” Maahox asked.

 

Lotor stood from his chair and started pacing, hands clasped behind his back. “Is it truly the phenomenal gift to the universe I was always taught it was?”

 

“Do you want me to tell you what I really think or do you want me to tell you what I think you want to hear?” Maahox retorted.

 

In a way, that was answer enough.

 

“Speak your mind,” Lotor said anyway.

 

“I think Zarkon is a merciless dictator,” Maahox said without further prompting. “And I think Haggar is a cruel accomplice, goading him into questionable decisions.”

 

Lotor growled, his first instinct being to defend his father.

 

Maahox didn’t flinch. “But I also think that once Zarkon’s vision is achieved, it won’t matter. Everyone will be united under one ruler; who will be left to fight? Zarkon’s methods may be cruel, but they are effective. That is what you need to consider, my prince.”

 

Lotor went back to pacing. That was what his own train of thought had been, but it still felt wrong. Those people in the markets…they did not view the Galra as their saviors. They feared him and his people. And where there was fear, there was hate. And hate led to rebels.

 

And none of that would go anywhere once the universe was united. It would be an endless fight if Zarkon didn’t change his ways.

 

But Zarkon would never change; Lotor knew that better than anyone else.

 

“So, about the men, your Highness,” Maahox started.

 

They were both cut off when an incoming transmission announced itself on Lotor’s viewing screen. He waved it through.

 

Haggar’s face greeted him, looking as sour as ever. “Prince Lotor.”

 

“Haggar.”

 

“What is taking you so long?” Haggar demanded. “I thought I made it clear we did not have forever.”

 

“And it won’t take forever,” Lotor said. “There have been some…delays, but rest assured, Voltron will be destroyed. I will make sure of it.”

 

“You had better,” Haggar said.

 

It took all of Lotor’s will power not to snarl at her. _This witch_. She thought she was so powerful, just because she’d been whispering into the emperor’s ear for ten millennia. Lotor swore if he ever assumed power, she’d be the first thing to go.

 

“You’ll be the first to know of our success,” Lotor promised, ending the call without any proper sign-off. She could be mad all she wanted, he was done with her.

 

He turned back to Maahox. “Tell me your latest plan.”

 

Xx

 

Lance missed the days he only had one lion in his head. Blue was calming, reassuring. She made him feel less alone.

 

Red made him wish he was alone. She was rough and demanding, a chaotic hurricane confined to his brain. And she’d only gotten worse since they’d formed Voltron.

 

At first it had just been a hum of concern for Keith, which was fair. Lance had been worried about Mullet, too. But then something happened in the middle of the night, and he’d woken up to Red screaming in rage in his own mind. He didn’t even know _why_. She was just screaming.

 

It took Blue reaching through Lance to calm her down enough for him to breathe.

 

“What happened, Red?” Lance asked, sitting up in his bed with the blankets twisted around his legs.

 

He got a scathing _“Keith!”_ in response, and nothing else. Which, again, fair. Keith had that effect on people. So Lance hadn’t really thought anything of it and laid back down, trying to sleep. He’d deal with it in the morning.

 

Come breakfast, he found it hard to focus on anything _other_ than Keith, thanks to an overprotective red lion in his head. He would have been content to not give the guy a second glance, but Red’s worry was overwhelming him.

 

_Did he rest long enough? He still looks tired. Should you try and make him go back to bed?_

_His stress levels are still too high as well. Make sure he rests after breakfast._

 

He’d been trying to have a discussion with Pidge about their video game; he was stuck in one of the dungeons and was asking for hints on where to go. He couldn’t even pay attention to the answer.

 

_Is he eating? His plate doesn’t look touched. He can’t skip another meal. Tell him to eat._

 

 _Here’s a thought,_ Lance retorted. _Have you considered telling him yourself?_

_I’m not speaking to him at the moment._

 

Lance froze with his spork of goo halfway to his mouth. _What. What do you mean you’re not speaking to him?!_ This idea was so ludicrous he couldn’t even comprehend it. Red and Keith were…inseparable. Lion and Paladin Goals™. What could Keith have possibly done to push her away?

 

 _Whatever your issue is with him, you need to work it out between yourselves,_ Lance said. _I’m not playing mediator between you two._

 

Red didn’t respond in words. Lance was treated to a guttural whine instead.

 

“Uh…are you okay?” Pidge asked. “I know the goo isn’t that appetizing, but that’s no reason to try and blow it up with your mind.”

 

“Yeah, sorry. Red’s just being a pain.”

 

At that Keith’s head jerked up. “What’s she doing?”

 

“Freaking out over you,” Lance retorted, crossing his arms on the table and glaring at Keith. “I don’t know what you did to make her so mad she doesn’t want to speak to you, but could you apologize?”

 

It lacked the venom and malice Lance wanted it to have, because as soon as he looked at Keith, at the circles under his eyes and how pale his face looked, he felt worry course through him and he couldn’t tell if it was his own worry or Red’s. It was also debatable which one of them was actually able to tell that Keith’s face looked a little thinner from all his skipped meals.

 

…Lance was going to go with Red on that one, whether or not it was true.

 

Keith sighed and dragged a hand over his face. “Sorry, I didn’t realize she’d drag you into it.”

 

“What did you do?” Hunk asked.

 

“Said some things I shouldn’t have. I’ll fix it.”

 

And _man_ he sounded so tired and old saying that, Lance thought. His worry was growing again, despite his best attempts to stomp on it.

 

“Yeah, well, it can wait until after breakfast,” Lance said, picking up his spork again and stirring his goo. “Finish eating.”

 

Everyone’s eyes on him made him look up again.

 

“What?” he asked. “Just because Red’s not speaking to him doesn’t mean she isn’t still _worrying_ about him, and she won’t leave me alone about it!”

 

“So it’s just because of Red that you care so much?” Pidge asked, fidgeting with her glasses.

 

“Duh,” Lance said. His insides twisted at that, though he couldn’t have said why.

 

“Interesting,” was all Pidge replied with.

 

“I’ll go apologize to her then, so you can stop,” Keith said, standing from the table and walking out.

 

“Good!” Lance called after him.

 

It wasn’t until after he’d happily started eating his own breakfast again and started talking with Pidge again that he realized Keith’s plate was still mostly full. He’d pushed the goo around a little, making it look like he’d eaten more than he had, but Lance could tell Keith had only eaten a handful of bites. (He’d done the same trick plenty of times when he was growing up, he knew the signs).

 

The worry dug its claws into his stomach once more.

 

Xx

 

After breakfast, the group split up for the day. Matt and Pidge were trying to find Lotor, and Allura was working with her magic again and had claimed the training room. (Lance had not been relieved that this meant Keith couldn’t try and train before he was fully rested. _He wasn’t_.) Hunk had volunteered to help Coran and Slav work on some minor repairs, and Lance was forced to volunteer for cleaning. Today’s project: the hallways.

 

 _How_ such an advanced space castle didn’t have rumba bots in every corridor was a mystery to Lance. Seriously. Add some AI coding to this vacuum/broom thing he was using and it would get the job done just fine without him. (Coran had laughed at the idea. Lance didn’t see why it was funny.)

 

He’d only gotten one hallway done when Red pushed against his mind again. This time it felt unintentional, at least. But her worry for Keith had only grown, which didn’t make sense because he’d already gone to apologize to her.

 

He probably hadn’t gone back to finish breakfast, though.

 

Lance paused his sweeping, straightening up and looking down the hall towards the hangers. It felt like Keith was in the Black Lion hanger, actually, and that he had been since talking with Red.

 

 _He’s trying to force a bond again, isn’t he?_ Lance mused. _Idiot, he’s still recovering from yesterday!_

 

He dropped the vacuum/broom and took off in a sprint. They couldn’t trust this guy to do anything, could they? _And Shiro wanted him to be leader? Yeah, this is going great, we can’t trust this idiot not to kill himself ‘for the greater good’ or whatever._ Lance wished he could have discussed substitute leader issues with Shiro before the issue had come up.

 

Not that Shiro would have listened, of course. He would have brushed Lance’s worries aside, like normal, and claimed Keith would do fine, because Keith was freaking perfect or something.

 

He slowed down outside of the hanger, catching his breath before storming in.

 

Keith sat cross-legged under Black, eyes closed, and he didn’t look up at Lance’s entrance.

 

“Hey,” Lance called, startling Keith.

 

“Oh, hey. What’s up?”

 

“Did you ever finish breakfast?” Lance asked. He’d gotten himself mad thinking about how Shiro always brushed him off earlier, so his tone wasn’t as nice and concerned as it should have been.

 

“I wasn’t hungry,” Keith replied.

 

“Even though you missed dinner last night because you were passed out?” Lance asked, raising a brow. “And none of us have even seen you eat in like…four days?”

 

Keith shrugged and looked away. “I can’t help it if I’m not hungry, Lance.”

 

Lance rubbed his hands over his face. “You still need to eat.” Keith hadn’t denied not eating in several days. Lance didn’t know if that was because Keith chose to ignore that statement or because he actually hadn’t eaten in so long. Lance really hoped Keith was just ignoring it.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“No, you’re not!” Lance said, and Red roared in his mind in agreement. “I don’t know how you can possibly think you’re fine when you look like you haven’t eaten or slept in a week!”

 

Keith didn’t say anything, just leveled a glare at him.

 

Lance sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Will you please eat something so Red will get off my case?”

 

“I told her to back off—”

 

“She’s still worried about you, man!” Lance said. “So do us both a favor and come eat something.”

 

Keith debated it for a few ticks before finally pushing himself to his feet.

 

Lance considered it a win. He walked Keith to the kitchen and watched him eat, the silence growing incredibly more awkward by the minute.

 

“Hey, Lance?” Keith asked. He stared intently at his goo, refusing to look up and meet Lance’s eyes.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I’m, um, sorry, about the other day, when I wouldn’t listen to you.”

 

Lance blinked. “Huh?” Where was this coming from? Lance had pretty much put the incident behind him, accepting it was just going to be like this with Keith, too. He hadn’t expected any kind of acknowledgment or apology.

 

“Hunk explained some things to me,” Keith went on.

 

Lance felt his stomach drop a few floors. Oh good lord what had Hunk said? He loved the guy, but privacy was a foreign concept to him and it sounded like he’d revealed all of Lance’s deepest and darkest secrets.

 

“I…I didn’t realize what it looked like to you,” Keith said. “And I never realized Shiro did it to you either. So…sorry. I’ll try and listen to your ideas better from now on.”

 

This…Lance didn’t even know what to say. It was completely out of nowhere. “I…um, appreciate that, I guess?”

 

“You guess?” Keith repeated, finally looking up at him. “I’m trying to apologize here, you could try and take it seriously!”

 

“I am!” Lance said. “You just…caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting an apology about that. Especially since we managed without Voltron just fine on that mission. I figured if anything you’d be gloating about it.”

 

Keith went eerily quiet at first, and Red’s worry pushed against his mind again, which was just even more confusing. Not as confusing as the guilt he felt when he tried to push against the worry. Who exactly was feeling guilty here? He wasn’t, so maybe it was Red? But why would Red feel guilty? It wasn’t like she could have been on that mission.

 

Red denied the guilt in his mind, and that was when Lance realized it was Keith’s guilt. Keith felt guilty about that mission. What the Quiznak for? And why the Quiznak could he tell what Keith was feeling anyway? No one told him flying the Red lion would link him with _Keith_. He did not sign up for that. He wanted a refund.

 

“Look, it’s really not a big deal,” Lance said. He didn’t exactly care about comforting Keith, but if it would make these feelings just go away than he’d do whatever he needed to. “We fight all the time, right? This one was a little worse, sure, but it worked out.”

 

“That doesn’t make it okay,” Keith said. “Hunk said it was playing on one of your insecurities, that’s not okay.”

 

His stomach went through the floor again. _Dammit Hunk! That’s not information for you to share!_  No way in hell had he ever wanted Keith to _know_ about his inferiority complex.

 

He crossed his arms and leaned back, finding a spot on the floor to stare at. “You didn’t know, and you’ve already promised to listen more. What more could I ask for?” He really just wanted this conversation to end before it got any more uncomfortable.

 

“I don’t know,” Keith said, “but if you think of anything, just tell me. You know I’m really bad with people.”

 

Lance snorted. “That’s an understatement.”

 

It wasn’t up to their usual banter yet, but it helped ease the tension between the two of them. Hunk barging in to start lunch also helped. Lance jumped at the chance to help with the food prep, and when Keith offered to help both Lance and Hunk insisted he stay put and finish what he was eating.

 

Keith rolled his eyes, but he didn’t fight about it.

 

After that, Lance let himself be distracted by cooking and dancing around with Hunk. He didn’t even know when Keith had left, only that he’d looked up at one point and he was gone. His plate had been cleaned and put away, but Lance had no idea how much Keith had actually eaten.

 

He muttered a few curses under his breath.

 

“What’s wrong?” Hunk asked. Lunch was baking in the oven, and they had started cleaning up.

 

“Keith. He’s probably off who knows where doing something he shouldn’t when he’s supposed to be taking it easy today.”

 

Hunk raised a brow. “Just ask Red what he’s up to if you’re that worried.”

 

“I am not worried,” Lance insisted. He put more force than necessary into wiping the counter down. “Red is just overwhelming.”

 

“Dude, it’s okay to worry about him,” Hunk said. “I am too.”

 

“Yeah, well, we shouldn’t have to,” Lance said. “It’s like the idiot wants to kill himself.”

 

“He just hasn’t figured out how to deal with his grief yet,” Hunk said.

 

“If he would just _talk to us_ we could help him,” Lance muttered. “We’re not mind readers.”

 

Okay, so maybe he did technically catch glimpses of Keith’s mind every now and then because of Red, but those were usually vague emotions that didn’t make much sense out of context anyway. Lately Keith had felt close to snapping, but that was ninety percent of Keith’s personality anyway. And with everything going on, it’s not like Lance could have dragged him off to therapy. Space therapy? Were there therapists in space? They should look into that.

 

“I almost got him to talk yesterday, before the attack,” Hunk admitted. “I think he’s starting to realize he needs to.” He checked on their lunch in the oven. “Why don’t you try talking to him again? Seemed like you were getting somewhere with him before I came in.”

 

“Oh, yeah, about that,” Lance said, turning to Hunk. “What exactly did you tell him about me?”

 

Hunk at least had the decency to look a little embarrassed. “I just mentioned that ignoring you played into your biggest insecurity. I thought it would help him understand you better! But I didn’t go into detail, I swear.”

 

Lance gave him a skeptic look.

 

Hunk laughed. He was saved by the timer going off. “Would you look at that? Food’s done!”

 

Lance sighed and shook his head.

 

In a matter of minutes Hunk had plated the food and set it up on trays. “I’ll handle the tech twins and Allura if you take Coran, Slav, and Keith. Kay, great, bye!” And he was out the door before Lance could argue.

 

Lance muttered darkly to himself while picking up the tray and seeking out the others. Coran and Slav were in the teleduv room today, working on ways to maximize the output or something. Lance was quick to drop their food off and run before he became a guinea pig. He’d much rather deal with an emotionally unstable Keith.

 

_Speaking of, Red, where can I find our fearless leader?_

 

 _Black’s hanger_ , she replied immediately. And she did not sound happy about it.

 

_Aw, don’t be jealous, this is just temporary._

_He’s trying to force a mind meld before he’s ready, and he won’t listen to me or Black._

 

Oh. That was an entirely different scenario. A much more concerning one, actually. Lance walked a little faster.

 

God, he as getting so tired of worrying about Keith today. It was like every time he turned around he needed to make sure Keith didn’t do something else stupid. Why was this his responsibility? They didn’t even like each other!

 

He found Keith the same way he had earlier, cross-legged under Black. He was paler than he’d been at breakfast, and his face was covered in a layer of sweat. He didn’t even realize Lance was there until Lance cleared his throat.

 

(The height of Keith’s jump was impressive. Lance would have to try and sneak up on him more).

 

“I don’t need more food,” Keith said, glaring at the plates.

 

“Well, you definitely need a break, so too bad.” Lance sat down across from him and picked his own plate up.

 

“Go away.”

 

“Nope.” Mmmm, this alien lasagna Hunk concocted was delicious. “You should try this, it’s good.”

 

“I just ate, remember?” Keith retorted.

 

“And how much of that plate did you eat?”

 

“Enough to not be hungry now.”

 

“Uh-huh. Just try it.”

 

Keith glared at him.

 

“I’m not going anywhere, so you might as well accept the fact you’re taking a break.”

 

“Is Red telling you to say this?”

 

“I have eyes, dude. I can tell for myself that you’re pushing yourself too hard.”

 

His hands clenched into fists and he turned his glare to the floor. “I have to get Shiro back.”

 

“And we will,” Lance said, softening a little. Only a little, though. “But killing yourself before we find him isn’t going to help anyone.”

 

“You don’t get it,” Keith said, burying his hands in his hair.  


“So explain it to me,” Lance said, voice rising. “Because, newsflash! None of us can read your mind and all we see is you pushing yourself past your limits. We’re fucking worried about you, man. We don’t want you to disappear like Shiro did. I don’t think any of us could handle losing another person.”

 

“That’s exactly why I have to find him!” Keith yelled. He was trembling, and his voice was close to tears. “I’ve lost too many people, Lance. I already went through losing Shiro once. I can’t do it again. I _can’t_.” His voice broke on the last word, and he hunched in on himself while he sobbed.

 

Lance froze where he sat. Red sent him flashes of Keith’s mind, of the loneliness he’d grown up with and the way he’d closed himself off to other people because other people _always left. Always_. But Shiro hadn’t, Shiro had never given up on Keith, but then he’d disappeared on the Kerberos mission and Keith had been left alone _again_ and he’d gotten himself kicked out of the Garrison, and then he’d really been alone out in the desert. But he’d found Shiro, Shiro came back, _Shiro came back_ , because Shiro would never give up on Keith, he’d proven that.

 

Lance own heart broke with the understanding this gave him. He slid across the floor and wrapped his arms around Keith. It didn’t matter what they felt about each other; Keith needed a hug. “We’ll get him back, I promise. Black would know if he was dead right? So we just have to find him.”

 

“I know,” Keith said, sniffing loudly. “But Black can’t find him unless we merge minds and make the bond stronger. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

 

“You can’t force bonds like these,” Lance said gently. “Just like you can’t walk up to someone and instantly be their friend. Well, I mean, unless you’re six. That’s how Hunk and I became friends, actually. I’m getting off track. Friendships take work, even friendships with giant magic robot lions.”

 

“But if I make my bond with Black too strong, it will overpower Shiro’s bond with her. And I don’t want to replace him. Replacing him means…”

 

It would mean admitting Shiro wasn’t coming back. And Lance understood, finally, why Keith couldn’t do that.

 

It was strange, to suddenly understand the enigma that was Keith. Everything about his personality made so much more sense now. _Thanks, Red_.

 

Red purred in his mind.

 

“We aren’t replacing Shiro,” Lance said. “As long as he is alive, we will find him and bring him back. And if your bond does accidentally grow stronger than Shiro’s? So what, Shiro will just bond with Black again and you’ll bond with Red. Everything will be fine.”

 

Keith didn’t react to that. He looked down at his hands and whispered, “It might be too late, anyway.”

 

“Come on, no it’s not!” Lance said. “You can totally forge a really strong bond with Black and do this mind meld thing.”

 

“Not without forcing it,” Keith said. “I’m too strongly bound to Red.”

 

And considering how fiercely Keith guarded his bonds, he wasn’t going to loosen that one anytime soon.

 

“Okay, then we’ll figure something else out,” Lance said. “But right now, I think you need a nap.”

 

“What?” Keith spluttered, tearing himself out of Lance’s arms.

 

“Dude, you passed out from exhaustion yesterday, and you’ve been pushing yourself really hard today. So, it’s naptime.”

 

“I’m not going to take a nap,” Keith stated, crossing his arms.

 

“Hey, hey, remember what you said earlier about listening to me better?” Lance asked.

 

Keith slowly side-eyed him.

 

Lance grinned. “That’s right, I went there.”

 

Keith took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. “ _Fine_. I’ll take a stupid nap.”

 

Nodding, Lance stood up and offered a hand to Keith. As a show of how stubborn Keith was and how he didn’t need a nap, Keith did not take the offered hand.

 

Lance would let it slide. He gathered up the tray with the plates on it and walked Keith out of the hangers and back up to the rest of the castle, pausing at the corner their paths split ways. He wanted to trust Keith to actually go to his room, but…

 

Keith rolled his eyes. “You already got me out of the hanger, I’m not going back on my word now.” And he stalked off towards his room, still unhappy with the whole thing.

 

Grinning, Lance went back to the kitchen. Red purred in his mind again, thanking him.

 

 _Well, I guess someone needs to look after that mullet,_ Lance said. _And I guess I just stepped up to the job_. It helped that Lance had an unfair advantage into understanding Keith’s mind, but today had made him more determined than ever to keep an eye on the guy.

 

Heh, who would have ever thought their rivalry would have turned out like this?  

 

Xx

 

The staff of the gladiator knocked Allura off her feet once again. She rolled along the deck and popped back onto her feet, just in time to grab hold of the staff as it attacked again. Twisting, she threw the gladiator over her shoulder and hurled it at the wall, where it dissolved into billions of particles.

 

Panting, she wiped an arm over her face. That was the tenth time she had failed to use her new magic in combat. She could take a hit as well as the next person, but it was disheartening that she hadn’t made any progress.

 

She walked over to her water pouch, frowning. This wasn’t getting her anywhere. But she really didn’t want to lock herself in the library again. With everything going on, she couldn’t sit still. She needed to be _doing_ something.

 

The door slid open and Hunk came in with a plate of food and a fresh water pouch. “Hey, Princess.”

 

“Hello, Hunk,” Allura said. She sat down against the wall and took the offered plate.

 

“Any progress?” He sat down in front of her.

 

She sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know how it came so easily to me before when I can’t seem to conjure even a spark now.”

 

He frowned, and his face turned thoughtful. “It’s not a matter of belief, like it was for Pidge and me and our bending, since you already know you can do it.”

 

Ah, yes. The surprise power the paladins had unlocked. Allura couldn’t be prouder of them. Their bonds with their lions had grown so much, it was incredible.

 

“Maybe you’re not focused enough?” Hunk suggested. At Allura’s twisting expression, he went on. “I mean, there’s a lot going on and we’re all stressed, so it could be that you’re trying to worry about too much at once?”

 

“Of course I’m worried,” Allura said. “Lotor is still out there, possibly on his way to attack us right now. Shiro is still missing and he could be in trouble. The only time we’ve successfully formed Voltron was because Keith forced it to happen, and he passed out for twelve vargas after!”

 

Hunk winced. “Yeah, I’m not saying you don’t have reason to be worried. But like, for right now, we can’t do anything about all that. We don’t know where Lotor is, but Pidge and Matt are working on tracking him. Keith is working on his bond with Black again, which will make Voltron easier and hopefully lead to Shiro, eventually. So, the only thing you need to worry about right now is your magic.”

 

Allura sighed. Hunk’s logic was sound. There wasn’t anything else productive she could be doing right now, and worrying about things out of her control wouldn’t accomplish anything. “You’re right. It’s just…hard to let go of things.”

 

“That’s why we’re a team,” Hunk said. “You aren’t doing this alone. None of us are.”

 

She smiled at him and nodded. “Thank you, Hunk. I think I needed that reminder.”

 

He beamed. “Glad I could help. How about after you eat, we work on it a little more?”

 

“I’d like that very much,” Allura said, eating her first mouthful of what Hunk had brought. He really was the sweetest of all the paladins. Most of his thoughts all seemed to revolve around taking care of everyone else, and he was always so genuine about it. He didn’t seem the type to be in a war at all, but it was that same caring nature that made him such an effective nature. Give him something to protect, and he’d turn into one of the fiercest warriors.  

 

It was an invaluable personality to have on the team.

 

As soon as she had scrapped up the last of her meal, she put the plate down and stood up. “Right then. Shall we?”

 

He stood up, too. “Let’s do it!” He stayed by the wall while she walked out to the center of the room again, calling out encouragement. “Remember, clear your mind. This is the only thing that matters right now.”

 

She nodded and started training level nine. All she had to do was shoot a little lightning at it. That was all she was trying to do. It didn’t even have to be enough to destroy the gladiator, just enough to prove that she could control her magic.

 

The gladiator charged her and she grinned. That was right. _She_ controlled this magic. And if she wanted to shoot lightning from her hand, then Quiznak _she was going to shoot lightning from her hand_.

 

She held both palms out towards the gladiator. The robot brought the staff back, preparing a simple swing that would have enough force to send her flying if she let it hit her.

 

Quintessence tingled on her fingertips, and she let it burst forth in powerful pink sparks. It hit the gladiator’s chest and pushed it back several feet.

 

“Whoo! Now that’s what I’m talking about!” Hunk cheered.

 

She kept grinning and charged forward again. She wanted to slice the gladiator, so she chopped her hand down and imagined a solid blade of energy mimicking the movement, cutting neatly through the robot.

 

It dissolved into particles. She straightened and turned a big smile to Hunk.

 

He rushed over to her and grabbed her in a hug, picking her up and swinging her around a little. “Way to go! I knew you could do it!”

 

She laughed. When her feet were on the ground, she picked Hunk up and did the same thing back to him. “Oh, thank you! I couldn’t have done it without you!”

 

Hunk gaped a little when he was on the floor again, but he recovered quickly. “Always glad to help. Now, why don’t we see what else you can do?”

 

Allura nodded, more than up for the challenge.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hunk and Allura are holding up this chapter themselves, tbh. But what else is new?
> 
> Edit: Check out this amazing art of the last scene! http://procastinagoat.deviantart.com/art/Allura-Hecking-Obliterates-A-Training-Robot-669406851


	17. Things Are More Fun When They go Boom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who says you have to use Voltron all the time? Sneaking in can be just as fun. Until it isn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out this fanart from the last chapter! It's the greatest thing ever! http://procastinagoat.deviantart.com/art/Allura-Hecking-Obliterates-A-Training-Robot-669406851
> 
> (Also if any of you ever feel so inclined to make art, please let me know! I love seeing it!)

 

It felt great having her brother with her again. Pidge was still cooped up in her lab all day, but they’d moved a couch in there for Matt’s sake and it made the area much cozier. And it was nice having someone to joke around with who understood her nerdier jokes.

 

The best part was simply having her brother breathing and alive next to her. And between their two genius minds, tracking Lotor was a piece of cake. It only took them a day and a half.

 

They announced their success at dinner.

 

“That’s wonderful,” Allura said. “We’ll have to begin planning our attack right away.”

 

“What? Already?” Hunk asked, shooting a worried glance over everyone.

 

“Yes. Lotor’s ship is damaged, now is the perfect time to strike. If we can take him out now, we’ll be that much closer to crippling the empire forever.”

 

“Agreed, but do you really think _we’re_ ready?” Pidge asked. Her eyes cut across to Keith. “We need to know for sure that we can form Voltron when we need to.”

 

“Then we’ll spend tomorrow training,” Allura stated.

 

“No,” Keith said. All eyes moved to him. He looked down at the table and took a deep breath. “Voltron isn’t going to work for us. We need another solution. We don’t need to waste a day training.”

 

“Keith,” Hunk started.

 

“Our best bet will be to sneak on board Lotor’s ship and take it down from the inside,” Keith said. “Maybe rig a bomb in the engine room or something.”

 

More than one pair of eyes were wide and gaping at him. Pidge’s mind raced with various possibilities, but none of them felt as safe and likely to succeed as just cutting through the warship with Voltron.

 

“Lotor’s ship is just one warship,” Keith went on, meeting everyone’s gaze evenly. “We don’t need Voltron to take it out.”

 

Okay, that made sense, but if they had Voltron they could just swoop in and blast the warship to pieces in seconds. Sneaking on board…that was a lot riskier.

 

 _What is Keith thinking?_ They could use Voltron if they just practiced a bit more.

 

“It might be best if only half of us go,” Lance said.

 

Pidge’s neck turned so fast it cracked. “You agree with this idea?”

 

He shrugged. “Keith is right, Voltron isn’t an option. But it wouldn’t hurt to have two or three lions waiting outside the ship in case we need them.”

 

“Okay,” Hunk said slowly. He and Pidge shared a glance. Clearly, they were the only sane people left on the team. “How do we decide who stays and who goes?”

 

“The cloaking on the Green lion would be helpful here, so Pidge will need to drop us off,” Keith said.

 

Pidge would have thought she’d be going on the ship to plant the bomb; she was usually the techie of the group.

 

“I should go on the ship with you all, in case there are any druids protecting Lotor,” Allura said.

 

Keith nodded. “And I have to go in case there’s any Galra tech.” He looked down at his hand.

 

“I’ll go with you guys,” Lance volunteered.

 

If he was going to keep saying surprising things, Pidge was going to make him give her a massage, because her neck could not keep handling all this whiplash.

 

“You’ll need a sharpshooter to take care of any sentries,” he went on, miming with a pretend gun and scope.

 

Pidge rolled her eyes. “Okay, so that leaves me and Hunk outside. You guys sure you can plant a bomb without us?”

 

“I’m sure we can handle it,” Allura said. “And you can always guide us over the radio once we’re inside.”

 

She still wasn’t comfortable with this plan; the whole thing felt like a bad idea. Something was going to go wrong, she knew it. Quiznak, Keith and Lance were _agreeing_ on something, that had to be a sign the world was ending.

 

After dinner, she, Matt, and Hunk worked together to design the bomb.

 

“Do we want it to be a timer or a remote detonation?” Matt asked.

 

“Remote detonation,” Pidge and Hunk replied at the same time. They were already unsure about the whole mission; no way were they going to risk blowing up their teammates on a technicality.

 

Matt nodded and grabbed a few more wires. “We’ll need to have a pretty impressive range then.”

 

“Not as hard as you’d think, considering the alien tech we’re working with,” Hunk said. He manipulated a few more wires around an unstable ore, the space equivalent of C4. “All their stuff is designed for impressive range.”

 

“You should see some of the distances I’ve been able to hack from,” Pidge grinned.

 

Matt widened his eyes and shook his head. “But you were always a scary tech whiz, so that doesn’t mean much.”

 

She rolled her eyes. “I crashed your hard drive _one time_ …”

 

“First of all, it was three times,” Matt said, voice rising an octave. “Second of all, _you were at camp_ and had, like, no access to any technology.”

 

“I had my phone,” Pidge muttered.

 

“One of those firefly phones with five numbers for emergencies only,” Matt corrected. He turned to Hunk. “Do you understand that she turned one of those barely-better-than-a-walkie-talkie phones into a weapon of mass destruction? In an area with virtually no cell reception anyway?”

 

Hunk laughed. “Somehow, I’m not that surprised.”

 

Matt muttered under his breath but went back to building the bomb. It was done by midnight, and then Matt was wrangling them both into bed. “Big mission, need lots of rest.”

 

“Come on, I usually stay up way later than this,” Pidge said. “I could search through a couple more databases for Dad.”

 

Matt shook his head. “Nope. You’re going to bed. I’ll look through the databases, you sleep. You’re the one who needs to be functional in the morning, not me.”

 

Pidge was not happy with the arrangement, but he’d managed to push her all the way to her room with only one hand. He was lucky she was still basking in the thrill of having him back, otherwise she’d have knocked him over and done what she wanted. And she certainly wouldn’t have stayed put after her door closed.

 

She’d give him another week, and then ‘nice little sister’ was over.

 

Xx

 

While waiting for the bomb to be built, Lance decided it was the perfect time to introduce Allura to video games. And because he didn’t trust Keith not to do something stupid out of his sight, he’d dragged Keith along for the ride. (Admittedly, this wasn’t hard. All he had to do was say “Bet I can get through the dungeons faster than you!” and Keith’s competitive nature did the rest.)

 

Allura sat the first round out, watching the two of them to learn the controls and how the game worked.

 

Lance absolutely creamed Keith in that first round, and it was glorious.

 

Keith pouted on the couch next to him. “Again.”

 

“Sorry, it’s Allura’s turn now,” Lance said. His cheeks hurt from smiling so widely.

 

“Don’t worry, Keith, I’ll avenge you,” Allura said, holding her hand out for the controller. She said it with such a serious face Lance actually felt worried for a moment, until he remembered whatever damage happened to his little character on the screen wouldn’t actually affect him in real life.

 

Keith unwillingly handed the controller over and sank back into his seat, still sulking at his loss.

 

Lance started the next round. He gave Allura a chance to learn the controls, much to Keith’s chagrin.

 

“You didn’t give me a chance to learn!” he said.

 

“Dude, you’re at least from Earth and have some idea of what the buttons will do. Allura doesn’t even have that much,” Lance said.

 

“Doesn’t mean I played a lot of video games,” Keith muttered.

 

Lance blinked. “You have to have played some.”

 

He shrugged. “A couple, but they were the group games, like Mario Cart and stuff. And I never really practiced at them.”

 

“You missed out, man,” Lance shook his head.

 

Allura eeped and both boys turned their attention back to the screen. Apparently Allura had taken a path neither of the others had taken, and she’d found a creepy skeleton waiting for her. She’d been surprised when it moved.

 

Their attention stayed focused on the game after that. Keith kept trying to tell Allura where to go on her turns, and she would tell him where to go on his, the two of them sort of tag teaming to take Lance down with the mice on the back of the couch acting like cheerleaders.

 

Well, trying to take Lance down, he thought smugly. It felt _really_ good to be able to beat both of them at something, even something as simple as this. But they were both really fired up about it and honestly, weren’t taking their repeated losses well. They played for hours, until Lance yawned and decided to call it a night.

 

“You can’t!” Allura cried. “We haven’t won yet!”

 

“It’s, like, midnight or something,” Lance said. “And we have a big mission tomorrow, remember? I want to sleep.”

 

Both of them blinked and glanced at each other, saying “Oh, yeah.”

 

Damn, he’d managed to make both of them forget about the real world for hours. He would have never even bet that he could do that.

 

He couldn’t wait to tell Pidge what a great buy this had been. She would be thrilled.

 

Regardless, it was still midnight and he still wanted to go to bed. He stood up and turned the system off. “Come on, bedtime, up we go.”

 

They went without a fight at least, but they kept strategizing together while they walked back to their rooms. He was starting to regret not letting them win at least once. At this rate, they would themselves up all night thinking about it.

 

Oh well, it was better than whatever else kept them up at night, he supposed.

 

He diligently went through his skin care regime and gladly flopped back onto his bed.

 

Breakfast in the morning was tense and rushed, and then they were suiting up and heading down to the hangers. Allura had already used a wormhole to bring them closer to Lotor’s ship, but Coran and Slav would fly them in manually. Hunk had the bomb cradled in his arms on the way down, but then he passed it off to Lance and started explaining what he would need to do, Allura and Keith listening in closely.

 

“Okay, that’s everything,” Hunk said. “Anything to add Pidge?”

 

“Don’t do something stupid like drop it, and don’t let anything shoot it,” she said.

 

“I’m not an idiot,” Lance stated.

 

She just gave him a look and led the way into Green. Hunk would wait until after the trio had snuck on board and then provide a distraction with Pidge while they planted the bomb.

 

Everything would be fine, he told himself. Allura and Keith were watching his back, and the whole point was not to be seen anyway.

 

Green jumped out of the hanger and Pidge activated the cloaking. She flew up under the ship, and Lance kept his grip on the bomb while Keith cut a way into the ship and jumped in first. Allura followed after him, staff in hand, and finally Lance brought the bomb on board. Green scurried away and out of sight before the cloaking wore off.

 

“ _You’ve got a couple minutes before someone investigates the breach in the hull,”_ Pidge said. _“Make the most of it._ ”

 

“Got it,” Keith said. The three of them nodded to each other, and then they were off.

 

Lance shifted the bomb so it was under one arm, summoning his bayard into his other hand. He felt too defenseless on a Galra ship without the gun’s weight in his hands. It would be awkward trying to use it one handed, especially when trying not to drop a freaking bomb, but the bayard seemed to sense this and it morphed into something a little smaller, something a little easier to use one-handed.

 

“How did you do that?” Keith asked, apparently having seen the whole thing.

 

“I don’t know. I didn’t do anything. My bayard did it on its own,” Lance said.

 

“Not the time,” Allura reprimanded. She pressed herself against a wall and peered around a corner. “Drones coming.”

 

“I’ll take care of them,” Keith said. His sword materialized, and he rushed around the corner.

 

“I hope their destruction doesn’t cause some automatic signal to be sent to the control deck,” Lance muttered, the words slipping out before he’d really considered them.

 

Allura slowly turned back to look at him, a look of horror on her face. “Can they do that?”

 

“Uh…I really hope not,” Lance said.

 

Keith’s head popped around the corner. “Okay, let’s go!”

 

Allura and Lance were quick to follow him. “The engine room shouldn’t be too far,” Allura said.

 

“ _You’re close, actually,_ ” Hunk cut in. “ _Just take the next right, the third left, and then it’ll be the door on the right_.”

 

“Got it,” Keith said. He turned back to say something to Lance and Allura, but movement caught Lance’s eye.

 

A Galra soldier was walking around the corner, not a drone, an actual soldier. One who would be able to raise the alarm and ruin everything.

 

Lance didn’t even think, just raised his mini-blaster and fired, the shot passing cleanly past Keith’s face and hitting the Galra just as he rounded the corner and opened his mouth. The soldier went down silently.

 

Keith and Allura both froze. Allura glanced between the soldier and Lance, and then she moved to the corner to peer around and make sure no one else was coming. Keith blinked a few times and then slowly turned to look at the dead Galra, his gaze lifting back up to Lance.

 

“You…”

 

“Just saved our lives, I know,” Lance said. “Can we go now?” He would gloat about it later, when they weren’t on a warship with a _bomb_ in his hands.

 

Keith shook himself out of his daze. “That was the best freaking shot I’ve ever seen.”

 

Now Lance paused. “Come again?”

 

“You had like half a second to aim, and you could have hit me in the head, but you didn’t, it was a perfect shot, _holy quiznak_.”

 

Lance was questioning if maybe he had grazed Keith’s head, just a little. “Um, thanks?” Confusion warred with pride, and some other warm feeling building in his stomach. Appreciation? Is that what that was? He liked that feeling.

 

“Yes, it was a good shot, now will the two you _focus?”_ Allura asked.

 

They both muttered an apology and followed her around the corner. They almost made it to the engine room without an incident. Almost.

 

They made it to that hallway, at least. But apparently the Galra didn’t trust drones with their engines so actual soldiers were posted down there, and the three of them happened to turn the corner just as the shifts were changing.

 

“Hey! Freeze!” one of them yelled.

 

They jumped back behind the corner. “Now what?” Lance hissed.

 

“We’re going to have to lead them away,” Keith said. “I’ll keep running down this hallway. Allura, can you charge through and get the rest to chase you?”

 

She nodded.

 

“Good. Lance, pick off whoever is left and get that bomb planted.”

 

“Wait what?” They were just going to leave him? He didn’t know what the Quiznak he was doing!

 

“You’ll be fine,” Keith said. “Let’s go!” He jumped into the hallway, blocked a few shots with his shield, and then ran the other direction. About four Galra followed him.

 

The fifth Galra noticed Lance and Allura, and then a staff smashed his head in and it didn’t matter anymore.

 

Allura strode out into the hall, let out a mighty battle cry, and rushed the remaining Galra.

 

Lance wrapped his arms around the bomb and laid his head back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling and listening intently. He couldn’t hear Keith’s footsteps anymore, and the blaster fire was dying down. Allura still let out a few grunts as she fought, but it seemed to mostly be hand to hand now.

 

Then her footsteps faded and Lance heard the Galra calling for back up, sending out the alert that there were intruders on board.

 

He took a deep breath. It was okay, the plan wasn’t ruined yet. Allura and Keith would be fine, they just had to run away for a little bit while Lance planted the bomb. And the sooner he did that, the sooner they could all get off this thing.

 

He peeked around the corner. There was only one guard still standing outside the engine room, but he picked him off easily enough. Then he sprinted into the room.

 

“Okay, Pidge, Hunk, I’m in the engine room. What do I do now?”

 

Pidge let out an exasperated sigh. “ _I told you, you need to find the main fuel line and put the bomb on that_.”

 

“Right, main fuel line, main fuel line.” This would be a lot easier if this tech wasn’t alien and something actually looked like it was supposed to.

 

“ _It will look like a TV mashed with a big fan_ ,” Matt interjected. His voice was surprising, but incredibly helpful. Lance found it instantly.

 

“Okay, got it!”

 

Pidge continued to guide him through the process, which wasn’t that hard, if he was honest. He was just freaking out a little and he couldn’t get his hands to stop shaking.

 

The others were fine. It was all going to be fine. Everything was going according to plan. Okay, well, maybe not _everything_ , splitting up had never been part of the plan, but it was _fine_ , they would be fine.

 

Lance would keep saying to himself until he believed it.

 

Xx

 

Just once, Keith would like their plans to actually work. That wasn’t too much to ask. They went through all that trouble of figuring out what to do and when to do it, and then something like this happens and it doesn’t matter anyway.

 

He’d let the Galra on a good chase for a while, slicing down anyone he came up on so they couldn’t join the chase. But someone at some point actually got a good shot in and hit his head, and he’d thought his life was about to flash before his eyes but it was just the light from the blaster.

 

He was fine. The helmet was singed and his comms were down (of _freaking course_ ) but he was fine. Just getting more and more agitated by the minute.

 

“Okay, enough is enough,” Keith said, finally turning and running back at the Galra. They backpedaled and barely got in a fighting stance in time, but Keith was angry and relentless.

 

And, oh, look, fire kept dancing over his sword because _why quiznaking not_. Everything else about the day had gone to hell in a handbasket, why not add the flaming reminder he wasn’t cut out be the leader. Sure.

 

The Galra at least didn’t seem to know how to handle a flaming sword when there was no source for the flames, and Keith got more sadistic pleasure out of that then he cared to admit.  

 

He would take his joy where he could find it, thank you very much.

 

Xx

 

Things couldn’t have been going much better, in Allura’s opinion. Lance was planting the bomb while she and Keith provided a distraction and kept the bulk of the ship’s guard chasing them. And now that her powers were working at her beck and call, taking care of these Galra chasing her was easy.

 

If they got too close, she put up a magical wall to block them and put some distance between them. She kept a shield behind her so their shots always missed, and every now and then when she got bored she shot lightning back at them. She also used it against any new Galra she passed.

 

Really, things were going quite well.

 

“Lance, what’s your status?” she asked.

 

“ _Just priming the bomb now, shouldn’t take five ticks._ ”

 

“I’ll meet you outside the engine room then,” Allura said. That would be the easiest place to get back to the drop off point that they could all find. “Keith, does that work?”

 

There was no answer from Keith. Worry gnawed at her.

 

“Keith?”

 

“ _Yo, Keith, come in!”_ Lance said. “ _We’re ready to go!”_

 

He still didn’t respond, which did not bode well at all.

 

“ _Quiznak_ ,” Lance muttered.

 

Quiznak indeed. “Don’t panic, I’m sure he’s fine,” she said. “We’ll just have to find him on foot. Search out the lower level, I’ll start looking up here.”

 

“ _Got it_ ,” Lance said.

 

It would be an ineffectual way of looking for him; these ships were huge, and it wasn’t like Keith would be sitting in one place for them. Unless he was hurt and couldn’t move.

 

But he wasn’t hurt, he was perfectly fine, so that was useless to think about.

 

Trying to figure out how to find him in a huge ship like this was a better use of her time.

 

Also not getting shot, she thought as one just missed the edge of her shield and passed by too close for comfort. That was also a good use of her time.

 

She turned to face the three Galra still chasing her. “I’m done with you.” She thrust both hands forward. Multiple beams of lightning burst from her fingers and pierced all three Galra through the chest. She ran past them while their bodies crumbled to the ground.

 

Maybe she could do some kind of tracking spell to locate Keith. That would speed things up.

 

She ducked into a room to do just that. Unfortunately, this room was occupied. There was only one person, a short man only slightly taller than Pidge. He had green leathery skin and long fins framing either side of his face, and his right eye had been replaced with a robotic one. His legs too, she noticed, were both robotic.

 

“Ah, one of the Paladins,” the man said. He stepped away from a hodgepodge of machinery and faced her.

 

“Am I supposed to know who you are?” Allura said. She wished she knew if the door closed because he pushed a button or if it had happened automatically.

 

“No, I don’t suppose you would,” he said. “I am Maahox. I am the one who built the spider machine you so brutally destroyed.”

 

“I wish I could say I was sorry,” Allura said.

 

“No matter,” Maahox said. “I have a new creation to test against you. Tell me what you think!”

 

He flipped some switch on the machinery she couldn’t see, and things started whirring to life. The machinery shifted and slowly rose up to face her.

 

It stood on four legs and had some kind of serrated mouth, and its tail consisted of a dozen knives. One eye glowed blue, the other was a dull crystal. Its movements were jerky, at best, and all the wiring was exposed and ugly; an incomplete project, then.

 

She wasn’t sure if she should be offended or not.

 

“I think it’s hideous and would be better in a scrap heap!” Allura said, charging forward and smashing her staff against its face. The one glowing eye shattered, and the mouth twisted out of shape, but it was still functional enough to contort and snap its jaws around her staff, clamping down hard and digging grooves into the weapon.

 

“Yes, well, appearances aren’t everything,” Maahox said, stepping safely out of the way. “Triax has oodles of potential.”

 

Triax bit down, snapping the end of her staff off. She jumped back, brandishing the rest of her staff to ward the machine off. It jumped forward, clamped down on the staff, and yanked it out of her hands.

 

“If that’s the best it’s got I don’t think I have much to worry about,” Allura said. She shot a solid ball of pink energy, knocking Triax off its feet.

 

“If that’s the best _you_ can do, then you might want to reconsider,” Maahox said.

 

Both the machine and its creator were quickly growing on her annoyance list. And she didn’t have time for this, she needed to find Keith and Lance and get off this ship.

 

“Don’t underestimate me,” Allura said. She readied another pink orb in her hand, but this time it sparked with raw energy. She lobbed it at Triax, hitting the machine in the middle of its back.

 

The pink energy spread until it covered Triax, shorting out every exposed wire it could find in the process.

 

“No!” Maahox cried.

 

Triax bucked and shook itself, creating its own path of destruction while Allura’s magic wreaked havoc on its body.

 

“Now if you’ll excuse me,” Allura said, turning for the door.

 

A robotic eye flew in her path. “I don’t think so, _Altean_ ,” Maahox growled. Triax still growled behind him, smashing tables and singing the couch it knocked over.

 

Allura reached up and swatted the eye. “If you’d like me to demonstrate my power on you, I’d be happy to oblige!” Allura threw another sparking ball of energy at Maahox.

 

Maahox leaned out of the way, his legs extending to compensate the action. The energy orb sailed past him and exploded against a monitor. All the lights in the room shorted out, dim emergency lights flickering on to replace them.

 

“I see you’re still learning,” Maahox commented.

 

Allura gnashed her teeth together. Was everything this guy said patronizing or was she just lucky? “It will hardly matter.”

 

She summoned two more energy orbs, highlighting her surroundings in neon pink before hurling both orbs at Maahox.

 

He dodged both of them with the same annoying ease as the first one, and the orbs sailed into the wall on either side of the ruined monitor.

 

The light show that followed wasn’t half as worrisome as the alarms that began blaring.

 

“Now you’ve done it,” Maahox said, pulling a tablet out of his back pocket and swiping through screens. “You managed to hit a key power line.”

 

“What does that mean?” Allura asked. She had a good guess, but this was one of those times she really, really wanted to be wrong.

 

Something exploded and the whole ship rocked.

 

“It means this ship is going to explode if I don’t fix it.”

 

Well, the ship was going to explode regardless, but Allura wasn’t keen on sticking around to see the fireworks.

 

“I guess my work here is done,” Allura said, running back out of the room. Red emergency lights flashed in the halls, and more personnel ran through the halls. Most were too preoccupied to pay her any attention, which worked for her just fine.

 

Another explosion rocked the ship.

 

“ _Allura? What’s going on?”_ Lance asked.

 

“I may have started an early explosion of this ship.”

 

“ _What?!_ ”

 

“We need to find Keith and leave immediately,” Allura said.

 

“ _Quiznak, okay, um…I haven’t seen him on the lower deck. How much time do we have?”_

 

“Not nearly enough,” Allura muttered to herself. Okay, now she was willing to admit that things were not going according to plan. They weren’t supposed to have to worry about fleeing the ship before a bomb went off, that had been the whole point of a remote detonation.

 

So much for that plan.

 

“Pidge, Coran, do you copy?”

 

 _“We’re here_ ,” Pidge said. “ _What’s going on?_ ”

 

“The ship is going to explode early, but we don’t know where Keith is. Can you track him?”

 

“ _Why is the ship exploding early?”_ Matt asked.

 

“Long story,” Allura said. “Can you find Keith or not?”

 

“ _His signal is wonky, it keeps cutting in and out,”_ Pidge said. “ _But it looks like he’s somewhere on the third deck.”_

 

The explosion that rocked the ship this time knocked Allura off her feet.

 

“Lance, meet me on the third deck,” Allura said, pushing herself back up.

 

“ _Are we going to have enough time?”_ Lance asked.

 

“We can’t leave Keith behind,” Allura said. She jumped in an elevator and punched the button for the third level, hoping with every fiber of her being that it would last long enough for her to jump back out and she wouldn’t end up stuck.

 

“ _Yeah, I know, but how long do we have?”_ Lance asked.

 

“I don’t know,” Allura said.

 

“ _Fantastic._ ”

 

She ran out of the elevator as soon as the doors opened. Three paths branched off from her current position. How the Quiznak was she supposed to find Keith _or_ Lance down here?

 

“I’m on the third level!” Allura said, choosing to run straight ahead and hoping for the best.

 

“ _So am I, next to some kind of training room,”_ Lance said. “ _I’m in the middle of the deck, I think.”_

Allura glanced at the rooms she passed, seeing mostly living quarters. She must be on the outskirts of the deck, then. “Any sign of Keith?”

 

“ _Not yet_.” He sounded worried.

 

That was fair, Allura was starting to get pretty worried herself. She kept running, checking every room she passed.

 

She rounded a corner and managed to at least find Lance running from the other direction. “Lance!”

 

“Allura!” He smiled at her.

 

“One down,” she said.

 

“Anything on Keith?” Lance asked, tapping the side of his helmet.

 

“ _No, his signal keeps cutting out. What happened?”_

 

“We don’t know, we split up to give Lance time to set the bomb,” Allura admitted.

 

“ _Why.”_ Hunk demanded. “ _Why would you do that?_ ”

 

“It seemed like a good idea at the time!” Allura defended.

 

The ship rocked again, and all the lights cut out. The artificial gravity seemed to also be damaged, because they found themselves floating in the hallway as dim emergency lights turned on.

 

“It doesn’t matter!” Lance said. “Less arguing, more finding Keith!”

 

“ _If I may,”_ Coran interjected. “ _That might not be such an issue. The Red lion just left the hanger_.”

 

Allura glanced at Lance. His face morphed through a myriad of expressions before settling on something she couldn’t read. “We’d better get to an airlock.”

 

She followed without a word.

 

Xx

 

Keith didn’t know why the mini explosions had started. The first one seemed like it came from higher in the ship, not from where Lance was planting the bomb. Hopefully the others were okay.

 

One good thing came from the constant explosions: most of the Galra were too busy to pay any attention to him. And the few that did try and attack him were quickly burned and were no longer an issue, because in all of this his hands hadn’t stopped flaming once.

 

It would have been cool in almost any other circumstance, but right now it was a distraction he didn’t need. Why couldn’t he properly control his powers? Pidge and Hunk never accidentally used theirs. Granted, vines and earth were a lot harder to come by on a spaceship, but still. Keith did not appreciate another thing in his life that he could not control.

 

A particularly bad explosion sent him sprawling. This wasn’t good. He needed to find the others, which meant he needed to find a way back down onto the lower deck. He thought the weird elevator thing had been around here somewhere, but he couldn’t find it now.

 

Wait, at the end of the hall… _There!_ The platform/elevator thing. Finally. He’d just go back to where he left Lance, they’d find Allura, and everything would be fine. Piece of cake.

 

If that cake was actually a quiznaking _land mine_ , that was. No sooner had he seen the elevator than another explosion go off, this one tearing through the hull of the ship down the hall. It wasn’t a very large hole, but it was a hole in a spaceship all the same, and Keith was subjected to physics just like any other human.

 

“Noooo no no no no no!” Keith yelled, helmet activating and sealing shut. He was dragged down the hall and thrown out into space.

 

At least the fire around his hands finally went away.

 

He tumbled head over heels into the black void, panic only just starting to sink in when he felt Red in his mind.

 

She was coming for him, like she always did. Because she was his lion and he was her paladin, and they’d been foolish to try and pretend otherwise for as long as they had.

 

Her jaws closed around him. He was oddly calm as he took the controls, hands fitting around them naturally. It felt right to be here, in this cockpit. This was where he belonged. No amount of disappointment and shame washing through him could erase that.

 

Lance and Allura jumped out into space practically in front of him, so he scooped them up and continued back to the castle. They didn’t say anything about him being in the pilot’s chair. Lance just put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

 

“Is the bomb planted?” Keith asked.

 

“Yeah,” Lance said.

 

“Pidge?”

 

“ _I’m on it! Stand by for fireworks!”_

 

Red pulled up a rearview camera so they could watch their handiwork while fleeing. The explosion wasn’t as big as Keith had been hoping for, but any remaining lights on the exterior of the ship went out. It was dead in the water. Or the space equivalent of that phrase.

 

Flying into Red’s hanger was familiar, and he couldn’t even be mad about it anymore. It had all been a charade anyway. This was just the lions’ way of saying enough was enough.

 

Keith agreed. It was time to get Shiro back, no matter what it took.

 

Xx

 

Lotor was furious. The Paladins had been on his ship, had done what they pleased, and left them with no power and several major hull breaches. Four entire decks were closed off because of them, and if Maahox didn’t fix things soon they were going to have to abandon ship.

 

He’d never be able to face Haggar if that happened.

 

He hadn’t even known the paladins were on board until the explosions started. Maahox wouldn’t answer his calls, so he’d gone in person and found disaster.

 

That stung most of all, that he hadn’t even known. But he’d make sure to pay them back for it, once the ship was running again. Because Maahox would get things working again, he was sure of it. That man was a technical genius.

 

Lotor wasn’t exactly being patient about it though. He paced the halls, angry and snapping at any soldier he came across. The worst part of it all was he couldn’t do anything. He didn’t know enough about mechanics to help repair the ship, and it was too late for any other task that he could have helped with. So he was left waiting, and he was not happy about it.

 

Oh yes, when he found the paladins, he was going to kill them all very slowly. Well, maybe not that tan one with the pretty eyes. Part of him still wanted that one. He’d see what his anger decided when the time came.

 

And the time would come. He’d make sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has been commenting! They make my day!


	18. He's a Phantom (Phantom)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro gets to dish out some well-deserved payback and it's glorious.

Shiro might not have been able to claim his situation was ideal, but he couldn’t exactly complain, all things considered. After phasing out of the engine room, he made a beeline for the command deck.

 

Galra ships were significantly easier to navigate when things like walls and ceilings weren’t an issue. He just used his jetpack and soared up, passing in front of several soldiers. He even ruined a hidden make-out session between two soldiers (and he honestly couldn’t tell you who was more surprised at that brief stop).

 

The command deck, when he finally reached it, was in chaos. The commander stood on the bridge, crushing the rail in his grip and shouting orders, demanding his men find the prisoner.

 

“Looking for me?” Shiro asked.

 

The commander whirled around. Shiro lunged forward, hand already glowing, and carved a nice hole in the commander’s chest. He gurgled some blood, but Shiro drew his hand out and started a warpath around the deck, taking out every soldier and drone he came across. His shield blocked oncoming fire while his right hand killed, again and again.

 

It was over in minutes. Shiro was left in a bloody mess, but more in control than he’d been in a long time. He ran back up to the bridge and slammed his metal hand against the controls. He still couldn’t read Galra, but a ship was a ship. It should be easy to turn around and head away from Zarkon’s central command.

 

Loud footsteps from the hall warned him he didn’t have a lot of time. He didn’t know if the door was locked; probably not, and he didn’t know how to lock it.

 

If he could just put them in warp drive in the other direction…then it wouldn’t matter if the Galra came in, they’d be too late.

 

Different keys on the control panel lit up, and then the ship veered hard to port. The men in the hall shouted and Shiro heard a satisfying crash of armor as they lost their balance. He almost fell too, but he couldn’t move his hand yet. When the ship righted itself, he felt it jump into warp drive.

 

He grinned. Things were going perfectly. Maybe he could even get all the way back to Olkari like this. No, no, that was a terrible idea. They’d probably shoot the Galra ship out of the sky as soon as they were in range. Oh well, he’d figure something else out. Maybe just get close enough and sneak out on a pod. That should work.

 

There was another jolt and the ship shook. It was the usual smooth exit of warp drive, more like they’d been forced out. Some warning was flashing on a screen, but he had no idea what it said.

 

The dimming lights and sudden standstill though gave him a pretty good idea. They were probably out of fuel.

 

Oops.

 

Still, considering everything that had happened in the last week, this wasn’t that bad. He could roll with this.

 

The Galra outside had apparently gotten to their feet, because the door was opening and lasers were flying past him. Time to go.

 

He waved as he phased through the floor, and he heard more than one cursing up a storm. Good. Let them think he was some kind of demon. Maybe they’d leave him alone then and not chase after him when he stole a pod.

 

  1. _OH_. That was a good idea. He could work with that.



 

He grinned. This was the best plan _ever_.

 

Xx

 

He found the temperature controls first and slashed through them. His suit would regulate his body temperature, but it would probably take the Galra a while to realize what he’d done, and even longer to repair it.

 

Next to go were the lights. He especially enjoyed phasing into a hallway behind a bunch of soldiers and using his hand to overload the light grid on that floor, throwing them all into sudden darkness before they even knew he was there.

 

More than one let out very manly squeals of terror, and Shiro disappeared laughing through the floors.

 

At one point he found himself in the kitchen. Hunk would probably cry at what he was about to do, but war was war, and attacking an enemy’s food source was just basic tactics. They had a machine similar to the Altean goo machine, which was childishly easy to mess with.

 

“Hey, what are you doing?” someone asked.

 

Shiro grinned over his shoulder. The machine was shaking in front of him, lights flashing. “Enjoy the meal!”

 

He fell through the floor, hesitating with his head above the surface just long enough to see the look on the cook’s face when the machine took on a life of its own and started firing brown goo at random.

 

At another point he passed behind a patrol just as they walked in front of an airlock. It was a dirty tactic, and he could practically feel an angel and devil on his shoulders arguing about it, but ultimately the devil won and he opened the airlock.

 

The patrol shrieked and disappeared into space.

 

The true gem that he found though was when he ended up in some kind of control room and found the anti-gravity switch. None of the Galra had jet packs in their armor. They’d practically be helpless.

 

There was no debate from his imaginary angel and devil. Both of them were grinning and rubbing their hands together.

 

He pulled the switch. A warning alarm went off, and then he lifted off the ground. Shouts reached him even all the way down here, both cursing him out and just cursing in general.

 

 _That’ll teach you to mess with the Paladins of Voltron_ , he thought.

 

Xx

 

“Prince Lotor,” some general called, halting Lotor in his endless pacing.

 

“What?” Lotor growled, whirling to face him.

 

The general met his snarl evenly. “We’ve come across another ship, sir. It would be advisable to seek their air.”

 

“Oh it would, would it?” Lotor asked.

 

“Ours is badly damaged and will probably never fly again,” the general said. Lotor didn’t even know this one’s name. He didn’t care to, either.

 

Especially because he was _right_. It was far easier to abandon this ship and move the survivors into this new ship and continue the hunt on their ship.

 

“We’ll see,” Lotor ground out, because he had appearances to maintain and he wasn’t ready to admit defeat yet. He stormed off to the command deck to hail them.

 

The captain that answered him was not what he was expecting. It was a _captain,_ for starters. What was a lowly captain doing on the command deck answering hailing messages?

 

He was also flustered, and he was floating in the air.

 

“P-prince Lotor! Sir!” the captain greeted, attempting to throw his fist over his chest in a salute. He drifted back away from the console and flailed for something to grab onto.

 

“What is going on over there?” Lotor demanded. “Where is your commander?”

 

The captain glanced at the floor, jaw tightening. “We’ve…been having some trouble with our latest prisoner,” the captain admitted.

 

“What kind of trouble?” Lotor narrowed his eyes.

 

“He…he’s loose, sir. And he’s some kind of demon! He passes through floors and walls like they’re nothing! He killed the commander and half our superior officers! He’s destroyed our thermo-regulator and shut off half our power grids!”

 

“And I’m assuming he’s also responsible for your artificial gravity failure?” Lotor stated.

 

The captain swallowed nervously. “Yes, sir.”  

 

“Just what prisoner did you pick up?” Lotor had mostly been asking himself. It didn’t really matter either way. It was something he was probably going to have to deal with if he still wanted to use this ship instead of his own. Maahox could probably fix their minor system failures.

 

“The Black Paladin of Voltron, sir,” the captain said.

 

Lotor blinked. The Black paladin…but how was that possible? He’d just fought Voltron not even two vargas ago! There was no way they could have captured the black paladin already.

 

So maybe it wasn’t the black paladin, just someone else claiming to be him. But why in the universe would they do that? Why willingly label themselves as one of the most wanted people to the empire? What did they hope to gain from that?

 

He needed answers. And to do that, he’d need to capture this supposed ‘Black Paladin.’

 

“Is your ship still flyable?” Lotor asked.

 

“I believe so,” the captain said. “We’ve already got some teams working to repair the damage he’s causing.”

 

“I have an engineer who can assist with that,” Lotor said, waving a hand dismissively.

 

“We are out of fuel, however, sir,” the captain said, shrinking back.

 

Pathetic. No wonder he was only a captain.

 

“General!” Lotor snapped, turning away from the monitor. “Do we still have extra fuel?”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Prepare it for loading,” Lotor ordered. “And you, captain, prepare to be boarded. Our ship is damaged beyond repair. We will assist you with your ‘Black Paladin,’ and in return you will hand control of the ship over to me.”

 

“Yes, sir!” the captain said.

 

“Vrepit Sa,” Lotor said, ending the call without giving the captain the chance to answer back. “You heard my orders!” he called to the officers just standing around the command deck. Everyone sprang into activity at once.

 

He went to go tell Maahox their change of plans.

 

Xx

 

Reinforcements had not been something Shiro planned for. In hindsight he probably should have, but he’d been lost in the thrill of messing with everyone. The brief announcement “Prepare for boarding from Prince Lotor” had caught him off-guard for more than one reason.

 

Because not only had reinforcements come, but it was the _prince_. The Universe was back to hating him again.

 

The Galra had fixed the gravity by the time Lotor came aboard, but if their shivering was anything to go by they hadn’t managed to fix the heating.

 

Shiro was immensely proud of himself.

 

He found the airlock the ships were using and stuck part of his head through the ceiling, just enough to listen to their conversation. He shouldn’t be noticeable this far away, and even if they did spot him, he could escape easily enough.

 

“Vrepit Sa, Prince Lotor,” the Galra greeted.

 

The prince looked exactly how Shiro remembered him, only he wore battle armor now.

 

“Vrepit Sa, Captain. This is Maahox,” he gestured to a green fishy alien with robotic legs next to him. “He’ll be able to get the ship back in working condition.”

 

“That is good to hear,” the captain said.

 

“The just leaves the matter of the Black Paladin. Where is he right now?” Lotor asked.

 

“We don’t know, sir,” the captain said.

 

Lotor let out a heavy sigh. “I have to do everything myself.” He turned to one of the generals he’d brought with him. “Collaborate with the men here and initiate the Alclox plan.”

 

“Yes, sir,” The general said.

 

Maahox grabbed the general’s arm and then extended his legs so he could hiss something in the man’s ear. The general nodded and darted off, disappearing down the hall.

 

“Ah, captain, if I may?” Maahox asked, halting the rest of the group just before they split up.

 

“Yes? What is it?” the captain asked when Maahox didn’t continue.

 

“Is your ship equipped with the latest Galver system?” Maahox asked.

 

“Wha…of course it is,” the captain said, acting like it should have been obvious.

 

“Maahox, we don’t have time for pointless questions,” Lotor said. “You can ask their engineers anything else.”

 

“I know. I was just trying to keep our eavesdropper still for a few more moments,” Maahox said. He turned his head and looked directly at Shiro, grinning.

 

Shiro jerked his head back on instinct. How the hell had that alien known Shiro was there? He hadn’t looked at Shiro the entire time. There was no way…

 

Footsteps gave him barely any warning before a blaster fired. It skimmed his shoulder. He was lucky he was able to dodge that much.

 

The general from Lotor’s ship charged him, shooting again. Shiro crouched down behind his shield, still trying to get his bearings. The general bore down on him, slamming the butt of the blaster against his shield again and again until the shield shattered.

 

The next hit cracked against Shiro’s helmet and he sprawled on the floor. The tip of the blaster pressed down against his back. “Don’t move,” the general commanded.

 

Shiro took a few deep breaths, gathering his wits. The general kept the blaster against his back and used his free hand to grab Shiro’s wrist.

 

Well this went really bad, really fast, Shiro mused. Good thing he seemed able to phase through literally anything, including people. He sank through the floor out of the general’s grip, passed by Lotor, Maahox, the captain, and the few other Galra with them, and continued down another floor until he could get his feet under him and use hit jetpack to soften the landing.

 

Lotor and his general meant business. That Maahox shouldn’t be taken lightly, either. Shiro had no idea how the alien had known he was there, but somehow he had known, and he’d taken advantage of the situation. If Maahox hadn’t given himself away when he did, Shiro might have been captured or shot on sight.

 

Small blessings, he supposed.

 

Now he just needed to try and figure out what the Alclox plan was and subvert it. And avoid capture, and possibly sneak out on a pod if he could. He’d have to mess with Lotor a bit, make Lotor think he was a demon, too, to make sure they didn’t use the tractor beam on him again.

 

How hard could it be?

 

Xx

 

As it turned out, scaring the prince was much harder than scaring the rest of the crew. And with Lotor leading them, the rest of the Galra were bolstering their spirits. It seemed like every available Galra had been given a blaster and told to shoot him on sight. He could hardly catch a break.

 

Eventually he turned his efforts to haunting Lotor specifically, creeping up behind him and attacking. The prince’s ears weren’t just for show though, and Lotor always had a good half-tick to turn around and block whatever attack Shiro aimed at him.

 

Lotor also always seemed to be close at hand. He’d managed to sneak up on Shiro a few times, but Shiro always just disappeared through a wall or something.

 

It was the oddest game of cat and mouse Shiro had ever seen. At this point, he couldn’t even tell you who was the mouse and who was the cat.

 

He did know he was being herded to the lower levels, though. The top decks had been evacuated and all the airlocks on those floors opened, and he assumed as he went lower that each floor he passed was being given the same treatment. He just didn’t know what to do about it. He couldn’t hang out in a vacuum forever, and he really didn’t want to float around aimlessly in space again. Once was enough for one lifetime.

 

He ended up in the hanger, Lotor and half the crew surrounding him.

 

“Well, you certainly look like the Black Paladin, I’ll give you that,” Lotor said.

 

Shiro descended in front of him, boots hitting the floor with a thud. “That would be because I am,” Shiro said.

 

“Then tell me, how were you captured so quickly after attacking my ship?” Lotor asked.

 

Shiro blinked. He hadn’t attacked…OH. The others must have, using Voltron. Lotor didn’t know that they were actually one short. He thought Shiro had been the one piloting Black earlier.

 

Shiro was content to let him keep thinking that. “Wanted to have some fun,” Shiro said. “You wouldn’t believe how easy it is to scare your men.”

 

Lotor grimaced. “No, I could believe it. But you don’t seem to have any back-up coming, so I do wonder.”

 

Oh, Lotor had no idea.

 

“Oh well, I’m going to bring you to Haggar and let her figure out how to keep you locked up,” Lotor said.

 

Shiro laughed. “And how do you plan to hold on to me long enough for that?”

 

“I have the feeling you’ll be much more amiable unconscious,” Lotor said, charging forward.

 

Shiro blocked the first blows easily and retaliated with his own. A fist fight was a little unusual, but Shiro wasn’t going to question it. He needed a way out. The pods weren’t too far away, so maybe if he could get to one…

 

He tried to make a break for it, but the soldiers rushed to block him and shot a few warning shots at his feet.

 

“You’re fight is with me, coward,” Lotor said.

 

Shiro gnashed his teeth and turned back. So Lotor was the arrogant type, huh? Fine then. Shiro never minded knocking these types down a few pegs.

 

He activated his arm and rushed forward. Lotor’s eyes widened and he narrowly dodged Shiro’s attack. He finally drew his sword and met Shiro’s arm, the two connecting with a metallic clang.

 

The fight went on for a few minutes, neither able to gain the advantage. They were evenly matched. But eventually one of them would wear out, and Shiro was the one who had been running around on little food and water for the last two vargas. He would be the one to break first. He needed to escape before that happened, but he couldn’t get to the pods. And there were no more floors under him, and all the floors above him were open to empty space.

 

He jumped back so they could both reorient themselves. Lotor was showing early signs of fatigue, but not nearly as bad as Shiro was. Shiro was panting and trembling, sweat rolling down his face. Lotor was breathing heavily, but after a moment he was already rushing Shiro again.

 

It looked like Shiro’s only option was space, one way or another.

 

 _I quiznaking hate my life_ , Shiro thought to himself darkly, activating his helmet and sinking through the floor. He twisted and used his feet to push off the bottom of the ship, and then he turned his jetpacks to full power and rocketed out of there as fast as he could.

 

He could only hope he could get off their radars before they were ready to chase him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so much fun writing this you have no idea. I'm writing a companion piece from the Galras' point of view, so be on the lookout for that sometime next week!


	19. Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith WILL stubborn his way through life, this is proven fact. And sometimes, it works.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry this took a little longer than usual. I'm in the process of moving right now so things are kind of hectic and I was away all weekend. But your reviews were greatly appreciated and helped me get my tired butt in gear to get this out to you!

Red landed smoothly in the hanger. Lance and Allura hesitated before leaving, looking at Keith.

 

Keith wouldn’t look at them. “Just go.”

 

Lance pat him on the shoulder, reminding Keith he was there, he didn’t blame him. Then he walked out with Allura, like Keith had asked.

 

Once alone, Keith tore off his broken helmet and slouched in his seat. He’d have to have Pidge or Hunk take a look at it later, see if they could fix it. But later. Right now he wanted the chance to feel all the hurt and just let go for a bit.

 

Red instantly purred against him. _There is nothing wrong. This is how it’s supposed to be_.

 

“Yeah, I know,” Keith said. That didn’t make the hollow feeling in his stomach go away. Nothing would, not until they got Shiro back.

 

It was clear what he needed to do, then.

 

He swiped his helmet from the floor and left Red. He didn’t bother meeting up with the others to go over the mission. There was nothing to say.

 

He left his helmet in Pidge’s workshop and then continued on to the Black Lion’s hanger. As always, he felt critical judgement under her gaze, but today he also felt sympathy and…support?

 

“You’re ready to have Shiro back, too, aren’t you?” Keith asked, reaching out to rest a hand against her paw.

 

The support grew.

 

Keith settled himself under her head. It seemed like he’d spent most of the last few weeks here, uselessly working on a bond he didn’t want.

 

Oh well, one more time and then he’d never have to do it again.

 

He let out a deep breath and opened his mind to Black. It wasn’t as easy as opening up to Red. Red always felt like she was just in the next room, a shout away. Black felt like he had to swim through an underwater tunnel and speak a foreign language. It…sort of made sense, all things considered.

 

 _Focus on Shiro_ , Black instructed.

 

That was easy to do. Keith had tons of memories to think about, dozens of interactions that revealed how kind, intelligent, funny, and brave Shiro was.

 

Black added her own memories, limited though they were. They traded moments back and forth while Black reached their minds out through space, trying to connect with Shiro’s mind.

 

Keith could sense the tendrils leading from Black to Shiro, but they grew fainter the farther they went, until fading into nothing more than star dust.

 

“Figured you’d be down here,” Lance said. His voice sounded far away, like he was on the other side of the room, but when Keith opened his eyes Lance was standing two feet away from him. “Come on, man, we just finished a mission, you can take a break. Eat something and change, at least.”

 

“I’m trying to find Shiro,” Keith explained. Even his own voice sounded far away.

 

“And I really hope you can,” Lance said gently, kneeling in front of him. “But hurting yourself in the process isn’t going to help anyone.”

 

“I’m fine,” Keith insisted. Why was everyone always so convinced he was going to hurt himself? He knew his limits. Usually.

 

Lance raised a brow, clearly not believing him.

 

“Look, I’m sure Red will tell you if I’m pushing too hard. In the meantime, can you go away and let me concentrate?” Keith asked.

 

Sighing, Lance ran a hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. “Okay, fine. But I’m coming back to check on you later.”

 

How did he know Keith wouldn’t have found Shiro by then? Who was to say Lance would even _need_ to check up on Keith? Who ever said Lance needed to, anyway? Keith had never asked for Lance to look after him.

 

“You don’t need to,” Keith stated, closing his eyes and trying to slip back into his meditation.

 

“Yeah, well, I’m going to,” Lance said.

 

Keith didn’t bother to answer, and he could only assume that Lance left.

 

Black resumed the meditation easily, and his mind slipped into the lion’s. He felt like a little kid playing dress-up, wearing clothes that were too big and bulky. Black was trying to meld their quintessence together, trying to make them fit like two puzzle pieces, but even she couldn’t fully turn his very being into something else.

 

That didn’t stop either of them from trying.

 

Time ceased to mean anything, so he wasn’t sure how long it was before Pidge was poking his cheek and interrupting him.

 

He blinked up at her.

 

“Good, you are still alive,” she said, shoulders dropping in relief.

 

Keith wanted to scream. “What. Do you want?” he growled.

 

She held up his helmet. “I fixed it. I was going to just drop it off, but you looked like you weren’t breathing. And you wouldn’t respond to me. I’ve been calling your name for five minutes. It was freaky.”

 

He glanced between the helmet and her face, caught between the desire to yell at her or strangle her. If it was anyone else, he might have given into his twitching fingers’ impulse. But this was Pidge.

 

“And now you’re looking slightly murderous, so I’m just going to go,” Pidge said, backing away slowly. “Just…be careful, okay? Don’t go where we can’t reach you.”

 

She turned and fled at that. Keith didn’t even know what that was supposed to mean. He didn’t particularly care right now, either.

 

He took a few deep breaths and stretched out a little. His back was starting to ache, and his legs burned with pins and needles from sitting too long. How long had he been sitting there, anyway? It was hard enough to keep track of time in space, but he didn’t even have a sense of how long he’d been down there.

 

Red nudged his mind, suggesting he take a break. Just a little one.

 

 _I can’t,_ Keith told her. _Not until we find Shiro_.

 

He pushed Red away and slipped back into Black once more. He had the strangest sensation of falling through floors and sliding through walls, and the weirdest sense of joy at doing it. It didn’t make any sense, and it almost felt more like a dream rather than meditation. Maybe it was. Maybe he accidentally fell asleep.

 

He hoped he hadn’t. Lance would never let him live it down.

 

The next thing he knew Lance himself was shaking his shoulders. Keith blinked and glared up at him.

 

“Pidge was right, that is freaky,” Lance commented.

 

“I’m going to strangle you,” Keith stated. What could be so important that he was interrupting him when he was trying to find Shiro?

 

“And that’s why he didn’t come alone,” Matt said, drawing Keith’s attention. Matt leaned on his crutch next to Hunk, who held a plate of food.

 

“We thought you might be hungry,” Hunk explained. “I mean, I know I would be if I’d been meditating for three vargas.”

 

Three vargas? He’d been down here that long? It hardly felt like half a varga.

 

…that probably wasn’t a good thing.

 

“Yeah, so, it’s time for a break,” Lance said.

 

“I don’t need a break,” Keith insisted.

 

“Bullshit,” Matt said. “Shiro has lasted this long on his own, he’ll be fine for another half hour while you eat and shower.”

 

“I don’t want to lose the connection I have with Black,” Keith explained. “We’re close, I know we are.”

 

“Really? That’s awesome,” Hunk said. “You think…do you think you can actually pinpoint Shiro soon?”

 

Keith nodded.

 

“I don’t know guys, maybe we should just leave him to it,” Hunk said.

 

Lance frowned and looked Keith over again. Surprisingly, it was Matt who was against the idea.

 

“No way, he’ll work himself into a coma if he doesn’t take a break,” Matt said.

 

Black rumbled in Keith’s mind, agreeing with Matt. Keith glared up at her jaw. “Whose side are you on?”

 

 _Eat and take a walk. Clearing your mind may help you focus later_.

 

“Black’s on our side, isn’t she?” Lance said.

 

Keith sighed. “Yeah. And I can’t do much if she won’t cooperate.”

 

All three of them grinned at each other.

 

“Perfect. Then you have no excuse not to eat this,” Hunk said, handing him the plate of food.

 

Keith wasn’t happy about it, but he ate it. Hunk’s cooking was always delicious, but Keith wasn’t in the mood to be grateful. He inhaled the alien veggies and then looked up Black, asking if they could get back to it yet.

 

_No._

 

There wasn’t even any more of an explanation, it was just a no.

 

Matt laughed. “I really like these robot lions.”

 

“They are incredible,” Hunk agreed.

 

“Especially when they keep idiots like this one here from overworking himself,” Lance said. He stood up and held a hand out to Keith. “Come on, we’ll go play a few rounds in the dungeons and then you can come back. I’ll even let you win, promise.”

 

Keith accepted the hand up. “I don’t need you to _let me_ win.”

 

They all moved as a group towards the hall. “Uh, weren’t you there last night? You couldn’t hold a candle to me.”

 

“I bet I could take you,” Matt stated.

 

“Oh, you’re on!” Lance said. “I am going to wipe the floor with you!”

 

“I’ll meet you guys there,” Keith said. “Going to shower and change first.”

 

“Please do,” Lance nodded.

 

Keith separated from them and continued on alone. His whole body felt sore from sitting in one position for so long, and even he could admit that a break was a good idea, no matter how badly he didn’t want to stop.

 

The shower did wonders, and it was magical just being out of his suit. He went through a small stretching routine, loosening himself up. It was as good as he was going to get.

 

To his credit, he did actually head towards the lounge where the others were waiting. He’d had every intention of joining them. Allura ran into him first though.

 

“Oh, Keith!” She was wearing a new outfit, something that looked a little better for working around the castle than her dress but not quite as bulky as her flight suit. The pale blue shirt was still tight and form fitting, with pink accents lining the sides of her torso and wrapping around her shoulders, but the magenta pants were loose and flowy. It looked much more comfortable than her dress, in Keith’s opinion, but then he’d never understood how girls moved in skirts anyway.

 

“Hey, Allura,” he said.

 

“Still no luck, I take it?”

 

He shook his head. “It’s like he’s just out of reach of our range. I can feel him, I get glimpses of his head, I think, but we can’t connect long enough to do anything about it.”

 

She frowned and put a hand to her chin in thought. “So we need a way to amplify your connection?”

 

“Yeah, basically. I probably just need to strengthen the bond with Black again.” Which he was not looking forward to. It didn’t help that they felt closer than ever to Shiro, achingly close, but it still wasn’t enough.

 

“What if,” Allura started, “I used my magic to boost your quintessence?”

 

Keith blinked. “Can you do that?”

 

“I think so. My magic and the magic of the lions is all about manipulating quintessence in the first place, so magnifying yours shouldn’t be too hard.”

 

“I…sure, it’s worth a try,” Keith said. He was willing to try anything, really.

 

“I’ll meet you in the hanger, I want to grab something first,” Allura said, running off with a wave.

 

Keith shook himself out of his daze. Excitement crawled through him. If this worked, they could have Shiro back _tonight_. Hell, he could be back within the varga.

 

He practically ran back to the hanger. _Please let this work_.

 

Allura didn’t keep him waiting long. She came running in with two of the mind-meld headsets. “I thought it would help me focus my magic on you,” she explained.

 

He nodded. “Yeah, makes sense.” He put the headset on without complaint, and both of them sat cross legged across from each other under Black.

 

Black, for her part, seemed eager to try this. She wasn’t convinced it would work, but the reasoning was sound.

 

“Okay, ready?” Allura asked.

 

Keith nodded. “Do I need to do anything?”

 

“Just meditate the way you were before. I’ll work with that,” she said.

 

“Okay.” He slipped back into Black, fighting past minimal restraint, and threw himself at those tendrils leading to Shiro.

 

 _I wonder if I’ll know when Allura does her thing_ , he wondered. He’d been pretty oblivious to everything happening around him before, so it seemed unlikely.

 

For a while, nothing was different. It was the same empty nothingness he’d spent the whole day in. Then, all at once, he had the distinct impression he wasn’t alone. He couldn’t see Allura anywhere, but the edges of his vision had a pink tint to them, which could only mean Allura had done something.

 

So where the quiznaking hell was Shiro? Wasn’t her magic supposed to make this easier? He’d thought it would be a simple two-step process, that Allura would do something and Shiro would just be there. It was disappointing to know that wasn’t the case.

 

“Alright, calm down. Patience yields focus.” He just needed to concentrate and reach out again. Just latch onto the tendril leading him to Shiro, follow that as far as he could…

 

Black roared, the sound vibrating through him. Keith felt gravity pull him down, and then he landed on some kind of purplish surface. Everything had a hazy outline around it, and it stretched on as far as he could see.

 

“Where am I?”

 

Someone else screamed and fell right in front of him, and it wasn’t just any someone it was _Shiro_ , Shiro was _right in front of him_. It was too good to be true.

 

“Black? Is that you?” Shiro asked.

 

Keith’s throat clogged up with emotion, so he reached out and grabbed Shiro’s shoulder before the man had turned around to see him.

 

That was apparently not something he should have done.

 

Shiro startled and swung a fist around, slugging Keith across the face, eyes going wide in surprise in the brief glimpse Keith had before he found himself on the hanger floor.

 

“Holy Quiznak what the hell happened?” Lance asked.

 

His cheek throbbed. Keith blinked. “Ow.” He pushed himself up, and okay, yeah, his cheek really freaking hurt, that didn’t make any sense, wasn’t he in some kind of mental plane? Why did it hurt in real life?

 

“What happened?” Hunk asked again.

 

Keith looked up and found everyone gathered around him and Allura, even Coran and Slav.

 

“Why are you all here?” he asked.

 

“If you’re about to bring Shiro back we want to be here to welcome him, duh,” Matt said. “But what just happened?”

 

Keith rubbed his cheek. “I…think I surprised him?”

 

“You saw him?” Allura asked. She looked tired, slumped over her knees. Coran hovered over her, rubbing her back.

 

“Yeah. Can we do that again?”

 

“Of course,” Allura said, straightening immediately. “Whenever you’re ready.”

 

“I’m ready,” Keith said.

 

“Good luck!” Pidge said.

 

“Yeah, bring him back!” Hunk said.

 

“You can do it!” Lance cheered.

 

Keith smiled as he slipped back into Black’s mind. Allura’s boost followed quickly, and then he was back on that weird mental plane.

 

Shiro was pacing back and forth, biting his thumb. Huh. That was an old nervous habit from his Garrison days. Keith hadn’t seen him do that since they’d come to space.

 

“Keith!” Shiro said when he saw him, relief dragging his shoulders down. “Quiznak, I’m sorry, I’ve only ever seen Zarkon here, so I panicked, and I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s fine,” Keith said. “I’m just glad you’re okay. We’ve been worried about you.”

 

Shiro laughed and wrapped Keith up in a hug. It lacked any of the warmth a real hug would have had, but it was somehow just as comforting. “And I’ve been worried about all of you, you have no idea.”

 

“Well tell me where the hell you are and we’ll come get you,” Keith said.

 

“I don’t know exactly. There were a couple warp jumps, and I’ve just been flying through space in a random direction since then,” Shiro said. “There was a planet nearby, it looked like this.”

 

An image flashed through Keith’s mind, an octagonal planet colored in a swirl of purple and orange.

 

Black purred; location pinpointed.

 

“I think Black knows where you are,” Keith said.

 

“Good, ‘cause I could really use a ride,” Shiro laughed. “Adrenaline got the better of me and I left without a pod.”

 

“We’ll come get you,” Keith repeated. He chose to ignore the concerning bit of Shiro _floating in space without a pod._ Black could get to him before anything happened, it would be fine.

 

Shiro tightened his grip around Keith. “Can’t wait. I’ve missed all of you so much.”

 

Keith clutched at Shiro. “We missed you, too. Things weren’t the same without you.” That was a bit of an understatement, but he could go into detail later, when they reunited in the flesh.

 

“Alright, I guess I’ll see you in a bit,” Shiro said.

 

Keith finally pulled away. “Yeah, see you in a bit.” He couldn’t stop smiling.

 

Shiro couldn’t either.

 

Keith let himself fall away from the mental connection then, and he separated from Black. The hanger he opened his eyes to seemed too bright after that weird mental plane.

 

Everyone looked at him expectantly.

 

Keith smiled. “We’ve got his location.”

 

Black stood up to emphasize the point, taking a step towards the hanger doors. She didn’t jump out, but her meaning was clear: _Get out before you’re sucked into space_.

 

“Come on, we’ll follow her from the control deck!” Coran said.

 

“Whoo! Last one there is a rotten egg!” Matt challenged. He half-ran half-limped to the hallway, managing to build up some impressive speed despite his bad leg. 

 

“You don’t stand a chance, Gimpy!” Pidge yelled, racing after him.

 

“In two hundred eighteen universes I beat all of you!” Slav called as he joined the race.

 

Lance chuckled and held a hand out to Keith again. Keith accepted it gratefully. It was doubtful he would have been able to stand on his own. He felt exhausted, completely drained of any energy. Meditating like that always took it out of him. Plus all the adrenaline from finding Shiro was fading.

 

At least Allura seemed to be just as drained as he was, accepting help from Coran as she got to her own feet.

 

“Nice work,” Lance said.

 

Keith smiled. “Thanks.” They took a few hurried steps to the hall, but in those few steps Keith came to the realization his exhaustion was something he should be a little more concerned about. For one, he couldn’t for the life of him put one foot in front of the other in a straight line.

For another, he was fairly certain the room was not supposed to spin this badly.

 

And oh, hey, there was the floor rushing up to meet him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shiro's coming back! What more could you want, really?


	20. I Spent 70K Words Leading Up to This Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy reunion fun times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you haven't seen it yet, I posted a short thing about Shiro's time haunting the Galra from the Galra POV! Just check the series tag! It's called Confirmed Cryptid: The Black Paladin.

The knowledge that Black was flying towards him right this moment almost brought tears to Shiro’s eyes. _Finally_ they’d be reunited. He could go home and see his team, hug them all in person. It wasn’t just a pipe dream anymore.

 

Something tickled the back of his mind. It had been so long since he’d felt it as more than just a passing thought he almost didn’t recognize it.

 

 _I missed you, Black_ , Shiro thought.

 

Black purred in his mind. _And I you._

 

He angled his body towards her and at least tried to fly in her direction, but considering how much faster she was it would hardly make a difference. Still, it was nice to actually be aiming for something for once. Not sneaking back on board to get a pod was a mistake that he deeply regretted, but he wasn’t about to head back _now_.

 

She sent a rush of emotions at him, excitement and relief and joy and impatience.

 

Shiro just laughed. He felt all the same things.

 

It took a few more minutes before Black emerged from the distance, but once she did it felt like no time at all before she was in front of him, mouth open and welcoming him in. He floated in and drifted up to the cockpit. It felt like going home.

 

He trailed his hand over the control panel as he took his seat. “Thanks for coming after me, Black.”

 

 _Of course I came after you. You’re my paladin_. She seemed offended at the idea that she wouldn’t have.

 

“I’m just letting you know it’s appreciated,” Shiro said. He wrapped his hands around the controls. “Now, let’s go back to the others.”

 

She rumbled in agreement and they turned around. Their excitement blended into each other, until Shiro wasn’t sure where his ended and hers started.

 

It made the ride take _forever_ , but eventually, the castle came into view, and Coran opened up a channel.

 

“Shiro!” everyone yelled at once.

 

“Are you really okay?”

 

“What happened?”

 

“Where have you been?”

 

They were all talking at once, and he couldn’t pick out who was speaking. But that didn’t matter, just hearing their voices again was unbelievable.

 

“Hurry up and land!” Pidge said.

 

He laughed. “I’m going as fast as I can!”

 

“We’ll meet you down in the hanger,” Coran said.

 

“Sounds good,” Shiro agreed. The sooner he could see them in person the better.

 

He didn’t even wait for Black to properly land before jumping from his seat. She could handle landing on her own. He could get to his team that much faster by letting her do it. The second her paws hit the ground he ran out of the cockpit.

 

The others were just running into the hanger, and he couldn’t really tell who tackled who first, only that they all went down in a giant group hug. There was laughing and crying and the first few minutes were just a blur of colors.

 

“I’m so happy you’re alive, man!” Hunk said.

 

“It’s good to have you back,” Allura added.

 

“It’s good to be back, you have no idea,” Shiro said. He finally managed to sit up, at least. Everyone had a hand on him somewhere, reassurance that he was really there. He didn’t mind.

 

“Our chances of defeating Lotor have gone up 847% percent!” Slav said, wrapping his body around Shiro’s torso.

 

“Slav! You’re still here?” Shiro ground out. The smile on his face got a little forced, and his body tensed just a little. He would have thought they would have dropped Slav off somewhere by now. He’d hoped they would have.

 

“Of course!” Slav said. “My survival rate is highest here!”

 

“Quit hogging him,” Matt said, prying Slav off.

 

Shiro did a double take. “ _Matt?”_

 

Matt beamed at him. “Surprise!” He definitely looked older, with the gray streaks in his hair and the bags under his eyes, but he was _there_ and he was _alive_.

 

Pidge threw her arms around her brother’s shoulders. “I found him! And another rebel group, but mainly him!”

 

Okaaayyy Shiro had apparently missed quite a lot while hitchhiking through the universe. But there would be plenty of time for them to catch him up later.

 

He drew Matt into a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

 

“Me?” Matt asked. “You’re the one who went into a suicidal fight in my place! I thought you were dead until Katie and everyone showed up!”

 

“Sorry,” Shiro said.

 

Matt shook his head and pulled away. “Don’t worry about it. And thanks. Even though you did permanently cripple me, you still saved my life.”

 

“You’re welcome, I think?” This was a lot to take in at once.

 

“I think this calls for a celebratory dinner,” Coran said. He was the first to leave the dog-pile, standing up and pulling on his mustache.

 

“Oh, definitely,” Hunk said, jumping up as well. “Welcome back, Shiro.”

 

Shiro smiled at him. “Thanks, Hunk.”

 

That seemed to be the cue for the others to pull back a little. They didn’t leave the hanger, and they still stayed pretty close, but it gave Shiro the chance to breathe and look them all over individually.

 

He passed them over once and then narrowed his eyes in confusion. They were one short. And come to think of it, Keith had been missing from the tackle-hug, too.

 

He opened his mouth to ask, but Lance beat him to it. “Keith’s fine, just exhausted. Idiot doesn’t know when to quit.”

 

That sounded like Keith. “What happened?”

 

“Trying to find you through the Black lion was a harder task than expected,” Allura said. “It took a lot out of him, especially the end where he actually spoke with you.”

 

“He passed out afterwards, so we took him up to his room,” Lance said. “He should only be out for a few vargas.”

 

Shiro couldn’t deny he was disappointed. He wanted to see Keith now, tell him how proud he was of how he handled the team while Shiro was gone. Using Black to locate Shiro was smart, and he was impressed Keith had pulled it off. Even if he had overdone it, it was still mission accomplished.

 

“Sooo, what happened?” Pidge asked, leaning forward.

 

Shiro laughed. He’d missed her curiosity. He’d missed everything about all of them, really.

 

“Hold on, we should wait until he can explain it to everyone,” Lance said.

 

Pidge groaned. “But I want to know where he went after the fight with Zarkon!”

 

“Space,” Shiro replied dryly.

 

All of them narrowed their eyes at him.

 

“I can’t tell if you’re making a joke or not,” Matt stated.

 

“I’m not,” Shiro admitted. “I woke up after the fight just floating in space.”

 

Lance paled. “That’s terrifying.”

 

“You’re telling me.”

 

“But how did you get out there? Did Black eject you?” Pidge asked.

 

So much for waiting until he could explain it to everyone, Shiro thought. But there was no capping Pidge’s curiosity. “I phased through Black.”

 

“What, like a ghost?” Lance asked.

 

“Yep.”

 

“I still can’t tell if you’re kidding,” Matt said.

 

“Still not,” Shiro said. To demonstrate, he pushed his hand through the floor in front of them.

 

“What?”

 

“That’s so cool!”

 

“How the hell did you do that?”

 

Shiro just shrugged. “I think it has something to do with Black, but I’m not really sure.”

 

Pidge’s eyes widened in understanding. “That’s Black’s power! I’ve been wondering!”

 

“Come again?” Shiro asked.

 

Pidge launched into an explanation about humans being more receptive to quintessence and therefore able to control the elements associated with their lions.

 

“Yeah, the day we learned about it she built a tree around herself, without even realizing it,” Lance said.

 

Shiro would have loved to have seen that. They kept talking, explaining more of the adventures they’d had while he was gone and their fights against Lotor.

 

“So we’re going to plant this bomb, Keith because he can work Galra tech, Allura because her magic can fight druids, and me to cover their backs,” Lance went on.

 

“Hold on,” Shiro said, raising both hands and looking at Allura. “What’s this about Allura and magic?”

 

“Oh, right, you wouldn’t know,” she said. She then explained how she’d discovered it when she fought Haggar, but it was only recently with Hunk’s help that she’d really been able to use it.

 

That was…surprising, to say the least. He hadn’t expected Allura to have magic too. It made sense, he supposed, she could open wormholes and had that thing with the mice, but he’d always attributed that to her royalty, which he realized now was dumb.

 

Lance was just getting back to the story about the bomb on Lotor’s ship when Coran announced dinner was ready. They moved as a pack to the dining room, and after Lance finished his story Shiro finally started telling them about his adventures.

 

While living them, he hadn’t thought things had been that amazing. But seeing the reactions of his teammates was making him rethink that. He knew he wasn’t a good story teller, but they still hung on his every word.

 

Hunk nearly bent his spork when he told them about Rolo and Nyma, and he swore vengeance on those two if he ever saw them again.

 

And when Shiro explained how he’d sabotaged the Galra ship after he’d been captured, both Lance and Matt nearly passed out from laughing so hard. Matt fell out of his chair.

 

“So was your strategy for haunting that ship just everything that happened to us when the Galra crystal infected the castle?” Pidge asked, grinning.

 

Shiro blushed and nodded. “I’m not actually that creative with pranks.”

 

That only seemed to make Lance and Matt laugh harder.

 

“It’s like some kind of weird revenge,” Hunk said.

 

“Are these two alright?” Allura asked, watching Matt and Lance.

 

“They’ll be fine,” Pidge said, waving a hand. “What did you do once Lotor was on board?”

 

So Shiro finished the story. The giggle twins sobered up by the time he got to the part where he’d been floating in space and then mentally kidnapped, only to completely dissolve into laughter again when Shiro admitted his knee-jerk reaction had been to punch the first thing he found, which happened to be Keith.

 

“So that’s what happened!” Lance cried. “I can’t believe you decked him in the astral plane!”

 

Okay, it _did_ sound kind of funny when put that way…but Shiro still felt bad about it. He wasn’t smiling. Not at all.

 

It took Lance and Matt several minutes to calm down, but eventually they had their breathing under control and had wiped the last of the tears from their eyes.

 

“Oh man,” Matt said. He’d finally climbed back up to his seat. “I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard since before the Kerberos launch.”

 

Shiro rolled his eyes.

 

“I wonder if each of the lions has their own astral plane?” Pidge thought out loud. They’d all finished eating a while ago, but she kept playing with her spork and small remains on her plate, dragging them around. “It’s a fascinating concept…if we could each access those planes we could form tighter bonds with our lions and each other.”

 

Lance shot up straight. “I can pilot Blue again! Aw yeah, baby!”

 

Pidge and Hunk grinned at each other, too. “That’s right, Voltron will be back to normal now.”

 

“Back to normal?” Shiro questioned. That made it sound like something weird had happened.

 

Hunk shrugged. “It hasn’t been easy without you. We only formed Voltron once when Keith forced it to happen.”

 

Shiro felt a guilty weight settle in his stomach.

 

“But now that you’re back, everything will be fine,” Pidge said.

 

“That’s right, Voltron will be back to full strength,” Allura said. There was a hint of sadness in her voice, maybe a touch of longing.

 

Shiro met her gaze, and she smiled and shrugged. Hmm. He might have to talk with her later.

 

“I hope you didn’t need it too often with me gone, then,” Shiro said.

 

“Eh, we made it work,” Pidge said. “But man things will be so much easier with you here.”

 

“Then I guess we can jump right into training tomorrow, then,” Shiro said. The kids looked a little surprised at his eagerness, but he already felt like he’d wasted too much time. The last few weeks weren’t exactly a vacation, but he was ready to get back to what he knew.

 

“Alright, tomorrow then!” Hunk cheered.

 

“You should all get some rest,” Allura said. “Don’t think I’ll let you take it easy.”

 

Shiro grinned. “Wouldn’t expect anything less.”

 

Lance and Pidge stayed behind on clean-up duty with Hunk supervising, and Matt walked with him back to his room. Matt told him about his own experience out in space since being sent to the labor camp, detailing his rescue and then how he’d been helping the rebels until Pidge showed up and whisked him away.

 

“Now we just need to find Dad,” Matt said.

 

“We’ll find him,” Shiro said.

 

“Yeah. Now that we don’t have to try and track you down it should be easy to focus on him,” Matt joked.

 

Shiro gave him a playful shove, nearly knocking him over when his bad leg couldn’t take his weight.

 

“Oh, sure, pick on the cripple,” Matt joked. “Well I don’t have to take this abuse!” He threw an arm up dramatically and turned around, limping away with his chin in the air.

 

Shiro just laughed. He’d felt bad for all of two seconds before Matt started joking and alleviating his emotions. Matt had always been good at that.

 

Matt paused a few feet away and looked back. “I’m glad you’re okay, Shiro.”

 

“Same to you,” Shiro responded.

 

Matt smiled and went off, leaving Shiro to get to his room in peace. Showering and changing into his clothes was like magic. It felt like he’d been living in his flight suit for the last week, and he was glad to be out of it. He was glad to be in his own room, too, safe and able to relax. He could actually go to sleep and not have to worry about what he’d wake up to.

 

But before he went to bed, there was one thing he wanted to do first. He knew, objectively, that Keith was fine, and technically he’d seen him earlier. It wasn’t the same though, and Shiro just wanted to check up on him real fast. Just a quick peek in his room, just to see him.

 

Unfortunately, Keith was turned on his side facing the door and the light from the hall spilled over his face. He scrunched up his face and opened his eyes, blinking a few times against the light.

 

“Shiro?” he asked, voice heavy with sleep.

 

“Yeah, it’s me,” Shiro said, walking into the room and letting the door close again.

 

Keith pushed himself up, rubbing his eyes. “Am I dreaming?”

 

Shiro let out a breathy laugh and sat on the edge of Keith’s bed. “No, I’m really here.”

 

Keith squinted at him in the darkness, maybe not quite as awake as Shiro had assumed. He reached a hand out to him, hesitating briefly before laying his palm flat against Shiro’s chest. Checking that Shiro was real, that he wasn’t imagining things.

 

Shiro laid his left hand over Keith’s. “This is real,” he promised.

 

Keith’s breath hitched, and then he threw himself at Shiro, wrapping both arms tightly around his neck and clinging to Shiro for dear life and burying his face in Shiro’s neck.

 

Shiro held on to him, feeling every tremor from Keith as he silently cried. “It’s okay, I’m here, I’m okay. You got me back.”

 

Keith took a while to stop crying, but he didn’t let go of Shiro when he did. “I tried so hard to be a good leader for you, but I couldn’t bond with Black and I didn’t even know what I was doing most of the time and the others barely trusted me to look after myself.”

 

That was a lot of information all at once. “Hey, hey, slow down,” Shiro said. He tried to push Keith into a position where he could look at his face while they talked, but Keith only tightened his grip around Shiro. Shiro smoothed down his hair instead. “Being a leader isn’t about knowing what to do all the time; I am usually making it up as I go and hoping we don’t all get killed. You have to trust your instincts when you’re a leader, and that’s kind of your thing. And the others are _supposed_ to take care of you, that’s what being on a team means.”

 

Keith didn’t answer, and Shiro had to wonder how much of this was getting through to him. He really wished he could turn a light on and actually look at Keith; this wasn’t the type of conversation to mumble into someone’s hair. But Keith was still acting like a koala and Shiro was starting to worry about that. Keith hated human contact most of the time, barely tolerated it when he needed to, but now he was practically cuddling Shiro. He hadn’t even been this touchy after Shiro crashed on Earth, though that might have been because the others had all been there.

 

“Your team isn’t supposed to worry about whether or not you’re eating,” Keith stated softly. “And Red was so worried about me it made _Lance_ worry about me. I made a crappy substitute for you. I’m sorry.”

 

Okay, that was it, he needed the lights on and he needed to be able to speak to Keith’s face. He tapped Keith’s arm, said “Let me up a minute,” and then flicked the switch for the lights.

 

Keith winced at the brightness, and Shiro took a moment to let his eyes adjust before taking a seat again and putting his hands on Keith’s shoulders. “When I told you to take my place if anything ever happened to me, I didn’t mean turn yourself into Shiro 2.0. I meant for you to lead as _Keith_ and do what you think is best, not what you think I thought was best.”

 

Keith looked down at the blanket twisted over his lap. “No one wants ‘Keith’ as leader,” he muttered. “Keith is selfish and impulsive and always just makes things worse.”

 

“That’s not true,” Shiro said. “You follow your instincts, there’s nothing wrong with that. You just need to work on your communication a little.” He could imagine how Keith’s typical behavior would have gone over with the others, and that was another thing he should have considered more before asking this of Keith. But, to be fair, he’d thought he’d have time to work with Keith on all this before the need ever arose. He didn’t expect to get separated the next week.

 

Keith snorted but didn’t say anything else.

 

Shiro watched his face for any sign that what he’d said sunk in, but Keith’s face was blank and unreadable. It was also, Shiro thought, a little thinner than he remembered. And Keith’s left cheek was already bruised from where Shiro had decked him.

 

He silently cursed. Keith had never had the greatest appetite, and when he was stressed it tended to disappear altogether. Meanwhile his methods of destressing usually involved physical activity, making it hard for Keith to keep any weight on. He’d overworked himself at the Garrison a few times because of that when he had big tests coming up.

 

Lance had said Keith had been overdoing it a lot. Keith had admitted the others were concerned about him eating. Shiro could only imagine how bad it had gotten before the others noticed what was going on.

 

And maybe it would take a little longer for everyone to be back on their feet than he’d thought.

 

He pulled Keith into another hug. “It doesn’t matter right now,” he said. “I’m back, and we can work on all of that so you feel better prepared if this ever happens again.”

 

“How about we just make sure it doesn’t happen again?” Keith suggested.

 

Shiro laughed. “That’s fine by me.” He held onto Keith for a while, and he wasn’t sure who was benefitting from it the most. But Keith wasn’t letting go, and Shiro didn’t want to be anywhere else.

 

It might take some work for everyone to get back to where they were before, but they could do it, Shiro was sure. The ordeal was over, he was back. Everything would be fine.

 

Keith eventually drifted back to sleep in Shiro’s arms. Shiro carefully laid him back down and covered him with the blanket before leaving, giving him one last look before letting the door close.

 

Back for half a day and he was already worrying about his teammates. He smiled. Things were going back to normal faster than he’d expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well things aren't perfect but they're gonna get there! They've all still got some issues to work out between them, but the worst is over.


	21. Business as Usual

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training, diplomacy, mutiny plots, same old same old, really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I mentioned that I love all of you? Because I really do. Your comments are amazing and I love every single one of them. Thank you for being awesome!

Lance overslept the next morning. Between all the excitement of the previous day and the relief that Shiro was back safe and sound, it wasn’t that surprising. He needed his rest after a day like that. Honestly, the others should have slept in, too.

 

But _no_ , he arrived at breakfast after everyone else had finished and was forced to rush the most important meal of the day and get to training. Allura had already vanished, and Slav sat next to Shiro going on about the strategies other universes were trying right now. At least Slav was the type to talk whether or not anyone was listening, because Shiro was most definitely not listening.

 

He was having an entire conversation with Keith, actually, only nodding every once in a while at Slav to keep feigning his interest. Keith’s plate was, Lance noted happily, scraped clean. Maybe with Shiro back and significantly less stress on him Keith would actually _eat_ like a _normal person_.

 

He listened in on Matt regaling Hunk with embarrassing stories of baby Pidge, Pidge trying unsuccessfully to distract either one of them and finally accepting her fate by burying her head in her arms. Truthfully, he was a little envious. He’d give anything to have his siblings back right now and to be able to banter with them like this. He was trying not to dwell on it; _his_ siblings hadn’t gone missing in space for a year, it wasn’t fair to begrudge the Holts their reunion.

 

It didn’t stop the homesickness though.

 

The second he was done with his breakfast his plate was swiped from under his nose by Coran and he was being pushed out the door to get to training.

 

“Isn’t it a bad idea to train on a full stomach? Don’t you have to wait an hour or something?” Lance complained.

 

“That’s your own fault for sleeping in,” Keith said.

 

“Oh, you’re one to talk, Mr. Sleeping Beauty. Who slept half the day away yesterday?” Lance retorted.

 

“I passed out after finding Shiro!” Keith retorted. His voice did the funny thing where it went all high-pitched and cracked terribly, like he was still in puberty.

 

“Yes, I know, I’m the one who caught you and carried you to your room,” Lance stated. Another thought struck him, and he grinned. “You could even say _I cradled you in my arms_.”

 

Keith groaned and buried his face in his hands.

 

“We bonded,” Lance said.

 

“Will you _let it go_?” Keith asked, voice muffled by his hands.

 

“Never.” It was too good. Lance would be able to use that one for years, and it would only get funnier the older it got.

 

That almost brought him up short, the idea that he and Keith would still be friends in a few years. Even if they’d saved the universe by then and gone home, the team wouldn’t be able to just forget about each other, not after everything they’d been through.

 

He wrapped an arm around Keith’s shoulders. “You’ll just have to get used to it,” Lance said. They both would. He was surprisingly okay with that.

 

They all separated to go to their hangers, and he made the familiar trek to Blue. He’d missed her so much; it was going to be amazing flying her again. She just got him in a way Red never would.

 

“Alright, the best team ever is back in action!” Lance cheered when he stepped into the hanger.

 

He froze when Allura turned to look back at him. “Oh, hello Lance,” she said. She stood up and brushed her skirt off. “Training time, then?”

 

The smile on her face was forced, but Lance didn’t know why.

 

“Uh, yeah,” Lance said. “Just a couple drills around the castle, a couple minutes as Voltron if we can.” He rubbed the back of his head. Why did this feel awkward?

 

“Good, good,” she said. She fidgeted with her sleeves and looked back at Blue.

 

Ohhhh, Lance got it now. He smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. “Blue’s amazing, isn’t she?”

 

Allura nodded. “Yes, and she’ll do amazing things with her chosen paladin, too.”

 

That sent a wave of warmth through him before he could stop it. “Even if you’re not a paladin, you’re still part of the team, got it?” Lance said.

 

She smiled. “Thank you.”

 

“ _Lance! What’s taking you so long?”_ Pidge complained in his helmet.

 

He chuckled. “Guess I got to go.”

 

She laughed as well. “Yes, good luck out there. I’ll be watching from the control deck.”

 

“Well you wouldn’t want to miss my amazing flying,” Lance said, stepping past her and winking.

 

Quiznak, he said he was going to stop doing that. Some habits were hard to break.

 

Allura laughed again, deeper this time. “Of course not. Now go!” She shooed him on and jogged out of the hanger.

 

Lance ran up the ramp into Blue’s cockpit and took his rightful place. It was so much calming in her, with her blue control panels and soothing presence. “Oh, I missed you baby. But don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere ever again.”

 

If the emotional wave of happiness she sent him was anything to go by, she felt the same way about their reunion.

 

“ _Are you baby-talking your lion right now?_ ” Hunk asked. “ _’Cause that’s just weird.”_

 

“Don’t be jealous of our bond,” Lance retorted.

 

“ _Still weird_ ,” Pidge stated.

 

“ _Alright, guys, let’s focus,_ ” Shiro said.

 

Lance and Blue launched out of her hanger and joined the others in space. They flew around in formation for a bit, with only minimal hijinks and shenanigans, and then the big moment came.

 

“ _Are we up to forming Voltron today?”_ Shiro asked.

 

The answer was unanimous from all of them.

 

“ _Then Form Voltron!_ ”

 

Considering how the last few attempts had gone, Lance had expected it to take a while. He’d expected this to require effort, and he’d prepared himself for the disappointment and had a few lines ready to cheer up and encourage the others in case it didn’t work.

 

He apparently needn’t have bothered, because they formed Voltron like slipping into a pair of shoes. It was easy, it was immediate. There was no worry about them falling apart at any moment. They were where they were meant to be.

 

“ _Woo!”_ Pidge cheered.

 

“ _We did it!”_ Hunk added.

 

“ _Excellent!”_ Even Keith was excited.

 

“Aw, yeah, we rock!” Lance joined in.

 

“ _Great work, everyone, I’m proud of you_ ,” Shiro said.

 

“ _Way to go, Paladins!”_ Allura cheered from the castle.

 

“ _Lotor won’t know what hit him!_ ” Matt added.

 

Lance grinned and readjusted his grip around Blue’s controls. Oh yeah, he couldn’t wait to kick Lotor in the face.

 

Xx

 

Allura couldn’t deny her happiness at the paladin’s success, but it was also bittersweet. There had been more issues than just her inexperience, but it still hurt that they’d formed Voltron so easily without her. And part of her wanted to be back in the Blue lion, wanted to be part of the camaraderie. Lance may have said she was still part of the team, and she’d always thought of it that way before being a temporary pilot. But now, now she’d experienced first-hand what that was like. She’d fought beside them, trained with them. It had been different when she was a pilot.

 

She missed it. She felt like nothing more than an observer now.

 

“Something on your mind?” Matt asked beside her.

 

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Allura assured, pasting a fake smile on her face.

 

“Doesn’t look like nothing,” Matt said. “Come on, tell me! If we’re both going to be stuck here while they have all the fun, we have to become best friends.”

 

She giggled despite herself. He made a valid point, and she wouldn’t mind his companionship.

 

“I just wish I was out there again, that’s all,” Allura said.

 

“Ah,” Matt said, turning away and looking out the window. “I get that. I get that a lot.” His hand clenched around his crutch. “It’s hard always being left behind, trusting the others to take care of everything and not get themselves hurt.”

 

Her eyes zeroed in on his leg. He’d never gone into detail about the injury, so she could only assume there had been too much nerve and muscle damage. Not being healed right away but forced to work on it regardless probably did a number on him, too, and now it was too late. They damage had tried to heal naturally, and had healed wrong. Their technology, nor any technology she had ever heard of, could fix that. The scans would show nothing wrong, because technically it _had_ healed.

 

“You want nothing more than to be out there, to be part of it,” he went on, lost more in his own musings than in actually carrying a conversation. “Because no matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, at the end of the day there’s a unique bond between comrades in arms that you can’t break through.”

 

That was exactly right, Allura thought. She smiled and held her hands behind her back, looking out the window at where Voltron was twisting around a moon. “Well, at least we’re not alone back here.”

 

Matt grinned up at her.

 

Xx

 

It was embarrassing having to take his ship in for repairs _again_. And this wasn’t even his ship, because _his_ ship was too damaged to bother with. This was another ship from the empire, because apparently no one could stand up to even a single paladin.

 

It was absolutely humiliating. Lotor couldn’t even shop away his stress, because the blasted fear everyone showed him only made him more agitated.

 

The icing on the cake though? Haggar called to check in again. She didn’t even greet him, just demanded “Why aren’t you on your ship?”

 

“How did you know I was on this one?” Lotor retorted. Blasted witch and her blasted powers…

 

“Captain Xalyax mentioned it in his report,” Haggar stated. “How could you let the Black Paladin escape you?”

 

“It wasn’t my fault!” Lotor spat, jumping from his chair and starting to pace. “That paladin has the ability to pass through solid objects; he terrorized the captain’s ship for so long that they thought he was a demon, and once he was off the ship they refused to pursue him.”

 

“He passed through solid objects?” Haggar repeated. At least the condescension was gone, for now.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Interesting. Very interesting.”

 

Did he even want to know?

 

No, he decided he did not.

 

“This still does not explain why you did not pursue him yourself,” Haggar said. And the condescension was back.

 

“I had damaged ships that needed my attention.”

 

She waved a hand. “Ships are not important; you had the _black paladin_ in your grasp and you let him escape. Need I remind you of the time limit you’re on?”

 

“I’m well aware of the time limit.”

 

“If I leave the emperor in this stasis for much longer, he might never awaken. Voltron must be destroyed before then, or we will lose our emperor.”

 

Lotor wanted to ask “Would that be such a bad thing?” but he held his tongue. That kind of thinking was treasonous. Haggar could probably kill him through the monitor if she even thought he was thinking that.

 

“It will be done,” Lotor promised. He ended the call. Oh how he hated that witch. Who did she think she was, ordering him around like this? He was the prince, the heir to a vast empire.

 

He laughed at his own thoughts. Heir of what, exactly? Of a few dozen galaxies that were rightfully terrified of him and his people? No wonder Voltron was fighting so hard against him. No one should live in fear all the time.

 

He would know. That was why he’d left to govern his own colony instead of stay in central command with his tyrant of a father. The word ‘father’ hardly even meant anything to him. That was just a title for the man who demanded perfection and didn’t tolerate failure.

 

Should it really surprise him that this same man ruled an empire completely based on fear and force?

 

No, that didn’t surprise him, not really. What surprised him was how much it bothered him. He was meeting all these people and only seeing his childhood staring him in the face.

 

He’d saved himself from that childhood, he’d made something of himself. Maybe…maybe he could help the empire do the same.

 

Maahox knocked on his door. “My lord? The ship is ready to depart. Shall I locate Voltron?”

 

Lotor looked up at the door. What he was considering was crazy, absolutely insane. He could be shot on sight for this.

 

That was somehow not a big deterrent.

 

“No,” Lotor finally answered. “Set a course for Central Command.”

 

“My lord?” Maahox questioned.

 

“You heard me.”

 

“Er, yes, very well, my lord.”

 

Lotor took a deep breath. There was no going back now.

 

Xx

 

None of the paladins really wanted to be very far from one another, not after they’d finally gotten Shiro back. That was why Pidge had brought her laptop to the common room after dinner, plopped herself down on a couch, and started pulling up old ship logs she’d downloaded ages ago. Matt sat next to her, reading over her shoulder.

 

Hunk, Lance, and Shiro were playing with a makeshift deck of cards with Keith sprawled on a couch behind them, watching. Allura sat on the floor in front of him, the mice playing with her hair. She was watching the card game intently, no doubt planning how to demolish all of them when she finally got roped into playing.

 

Coran and Slav walked in and announced that repairs were finally complete. “I’d say this ship hasn’t run better since it was built!”

 

“But there are still six dozen realities where it is better still,” Slav added helpfully.

 

Pidge noticed Shiro twitch. It was interesting; he only ever did that when Slav opened his mouth. She had to wonder what happened between those two on Beta Traz.

 

“That’s wonderful!” Allura said.

 

“Yeah, now you can come join us!” Lance said, waving his hand of cards around.

 

Coran and Slav converged on the table while the boys gathered the cards and started explaining how to play Egyptian Ratscrew.

 

She smiled as she watched them. Her family used to do game night every so often, just to take a break from all the computer screens they spent all day in front of. It got pretty intense most of the time. Her mother was the reigning champion of all card games.

 

“Just like home, isn’t it?” Matt said quietly.

 

She nodded. “I miss Mom and Dad.”

 

“I do, too. But we know Mom is safe, at least.”

 

“And probably broken-hearted,” Pidge muttered. “She has no idea what happened to me, Mattie. And she already lost you and Dad.”

 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Matt said, wrapping an arm around her. “Mom is strong. She’ll hang on until we get back. We just need to find Dad first.”

 

Pidge glanced down at her screen again. “I don’t even know where to look, honestly.”

 

“All I know is he was sent to a labor camp, but I never found out which one,” Matt said sadly.

 

Beyond them, Hunk called Lance out on cheating, to which Lance vehemently denied.

 

“You can’t give up hope,” Matt said. “You didn’t give up on me, did you?”

 

She smiled and leaned into his side. “Of course not.”

 

She would find her father, and she would bring both him and Matt back to her mother and reunite them all. She didn’t know how long it would take, but she would. And if the Galra had permanently hurt her father then so help her she would hunt down every last one of them and rip their spleens out.

 

“Well, this data isn’t going to search itself,” Pidge muttered, getting back to work. It was a big universe; she had her work cut out for her.

 

Xx

 

The paladins spent Shiro’s second day back training against the gladiator, and while part of Allura desperately wished to join them and work on her magic more, she had other duties. _Someone_ needed to figure out their next plan of action, after all, and it wasn’t fair to expect Shiro to do it.

 

That was what found her and Matt in the control room facing two monitors, Kolivan on one and Gupthe on the other.

 

“You blew up his ship but still did not manage to kill the prince?” Kolivan summarized when she was done catching them up on the latest news.

 

“We thought we had good placement for the bomb,” Allura defended. “That was our error. But we have Shiro back now, so Voltron is at full strength. We will not make the same mistake twice.”

 

“That’s all well and good,” Gupthe said, “But what happens after the prince is killed? Surely there will just be another to take his place.”

 

“All the same, we can’t let Lotor run free,” Allura said. He’d already attacked them multiple times. His next attack was probably only a quintent away.

 

“But perhaps we should shift our focus until he resurfaces?” Gupthe said.

 

“No, I agree with the princess,” Kolivan said. “Lotor is still a threat that needs to be dealt with.”

 

“It won’t solve anything,” Matt piped up. “Lotor hasn’t even been running the empire since Zarkon was taken down, but it’s still functioning just fine.”

 

“That is exactly my point,” Gupthe said. “We need to focus on freeing individual planets, ruining Galra trade lines and gathering resources and allies for ourselves.”

 

These were all valid points, annoyingly sound in their logic. But Allura still wanted to focus on Lotor. It felt like a much more attainable goal, and she wished destroying the empire could be that easy. Matt was right, though. Since their fight against Zarkon, the empire had barely even stuttered. The rest of the universe had gone on business as usual.

 

She wondered if the universe even knew he was incapacitated right now. She wondered if they even cared.

 

“And how do you suggest we do that?” Kolivan asked. “Fly to random planets and start blasting the empire troops?”

 

“Ultimately, yes,” Gupthe said.

 

“If we pick the planets with the biggest resources, we can make dents in the empire, and eventually it will fall in on itself,” Matt said.

 

“I don’t like it any more than you do,” Allura said, looking at Kolivan’s screen. She was not going to dwell on the fact that they had similar strategies, that meant nothing. _It meant nothing, okay?_ “But we need to look at the big picture; our ultimate goal is not just the fall of Zarkon, but of the entire Galra Empire.”

 

Kolivan frowned. “I did not realize you meant to dismantle what was already built.”

 

  1. _OH_. Kolivan had been leading the Blade of Marmora with the expectation that they would simply replace Zarkon once he was beaten.



 

“The universe will never trust Galra leaders,” Gupthe stated.

 

“It would be better to start building our own alliance as we go, with each planet free to rule themselves as they see fit,” Allura said.

 

Kolivan’s frown did not disappear, and Allura had the distinct impression their relationship was dangling by a thread.

 

“So you mean to replace the entire Galra empire with an Altean one?” Kolivan asked.

 

“There will be no empire,” Allura said. “Planets will trade and communicate with who they see fit, and they will not owe taxes or other fees to us.”

 

“Look, Kolivan,” Matt said. “The Galra way that you’re used to, this empire, isn’t working. It’s creating rebellions all over the place and creating nothing but hatred. An alliance based on trust and created by choice will be much better in the long run.”

 

It was a long, tense moment before Kolivan replied. “Very well. As you say, our Galra views are what got us into this mess in the first place. We will try this your way.”

 

She could practically hear the unspoken _But if it doesn’t work, we will rebel against you as well_.

 

“Well, now that that’s settled,” Gupthe said, eyes glancing back and forth at the screens on his own end. “I have a few ideas about where we could strike.”

 

It was business as usual for the next varga, and a raid was planned for the wild planet Mumluq where the Galra scavenged the metal for their swords, to take place in three quintents.

 

Kolivan and Gupthe signed off, leaving Allura alone with Matt in the control room. They both sagged in relief.

 

“Is diplomacy always this tense?” Matt asked.

 

“From all my experience, yes,” Allura said. “Thank you for being here, though. It helped having you to back me up.”

 

“Any time,” Matt grinned. “I just like feeling useful, and with the castle all repaired there’s not much I can do. Especially with Katie off training; she keeps her laptop locked up when she’s not around.”

 

“Oh?” Allura asked. She hadn’t known that.

 

“Yeah. My own fault, really. When we were younger I would always sneak on and mess with her settings and stuff.”

 

Allura giggled. “I used to do similar things to Coran in my youth. He always left his tablets lying around, so I’d take random pictures and replace all his images.”

 

Matt laughed too. “You and I might be more similar than we thought.”

 

She was beginning to get the same feeling. “Perhaps we are.”

 

“Anyway, are you hungry? I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.”

 

“I suppose it’s about that time,” Allura said, straightening up and walking out into the hall with Matt. “So tell me, what else did you do with your sister on Earth?”

 

Matt’s eyes lit up. “Oh, the stories I could tell…”

 

She had a feeling she was about to learn a lot of embarrassing moments about the green paladin. She couldn’t wait.


	22. Bet You Didn't See This Coming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And in this, the final chapter, things go from 0 to 100 REAL FAST.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest fanfic I've ever written, by like 40k.

Lotor wasn’t that surprised when Haggar tried to call him again once the request for landing had been made. He didn’t feel like trying to explain himself to her, though, so he rejected the call. He hadn’t even tried to explain to Maahox what he was doing. He didn’t have a good alibi for coming back.

 

It was also equally unsurprising to find Haggar waiting for him in the hanger when the ship landed. “Shouldn’t you be watching over my father?” Lotor demanded.

 

“Shouldn’t you be hunting Voltron? What do you think you’re doing returning here like a coward?”

 

“You do remember that I am a prince, yes?” Lotor asked. He walked past her. “You should show me some respect.”

 

She scoffed at the idea and followed closely behind him. “I’ve done more than you could ever imagine. You’ll have my respect when you’ve earned it.”

 

“You still have to follow my orders,” Lotor reminded her.

 

“We’ll see.”

 

“I could have you shot for treason with words like that.”

 

“The emperor would never allow it.”

 

“As I recall, you’re deliberately keeping him unconscious at the moment. How do you think he’d feel about that?”

 

She gnashed her teeth together. “What do you want?”

 

“I want you to give me some time alone with my father,” Lotor said.

 

“To what end?”

 

“That’s my business.”

 

She narrowed her eyes. “He cannot speak with you, nor can he hear anything you say to him.”

 

“That doesn’t matter.”

 

He could feel the air tightening around them. The few soldiers they passed dropped to their knees and shrank against the wall, dodging the hostility hovering around them.

 

“As his primary physician, I don’t have to allow this,” Haggar stated.

 

“And as the heir to the empire, I command you to collaborate with Maahox on the next beast to challenge Voltron, to begin immediately. Maybe the two of you together will be able to achieve something.”

 

He’d have to apologize to Maahox later, but it was the only possible thing that would drag her away from his father long enough. He didn’t need much time, but the excuse had to be believable.

 

She growled. “Very well.” She was not happy about it, but she did leave. He walked the rest of the way in peace.

 

A few drones were doing routine checks on the machines around his father; he dismissed all of them and stood at his father’s left side.

 

It should have been painful, what he was about to do. It should have taken him a long time to reach this decision; it should have been a struggle, a moral quandary. But truthfully, the decision had been easy. Once the idea had entered his mind, he’d simply accepted it. He’d thought _Yes, that could work,_ and began to plan.

 

Deciding to kill his father hadn’t been difficult at all. He was just ashamed he’d waited so long.

 

One by one, he unhooked the various machines around Zarkon. “I wish I could say I was going to miss you,” Lotor started, “but I think I’ll actually be happier with you gone. You were a terrible father.”

 

The room grew quiet as the hum of machinery dulled. Just taking him off life-support wasn’t enough though; he could have awoken a while ago if Haggar had allowed it. He was still weak though, and it would be child’s play to slice his throat like this.

 

Lotor didn’t care how he did it, only that Zarkon knew it was by his hand. Some sick, twisted part of him, a final remnant from his childhood, wanted this awful man to know who exactly made the final blow.

 

Zarkon opened his eyes and narrowed them at Lotor.

 

“I hope you’re proud of how you ruined this universe,” Lotor stated. “But don’t worry; I’ll clean up your mess.”

 

His blade was out and severing Zarkon’s head from his body before Zarkon could even work up the strength to raise his arm.

 

And that was that. Clean. Simple. Quick.

 

He wiped the blood of his blade using the blanket covering his father, and then he sheathed it and calmly walked out the door.

 

A shrieking wail echoed through the halls, and Lotor barely had time to think beyond _I really should have planned further ahead_ before dark magic blasted him.

 

To be honest, he hadn’t expected the actual murder to go so smoothly. The aftermath had been a fuzzy image in his head that he’d chosen to ignore, a really, really bad mistake that he was going to pin on high stress and poor sleep.

 

“ _What have you done?_ ” Haggar wailed, practically floating down the hall towards him. Her hair and the bottom of her cloak billowed around her, raw magic crackling in the air.

 

“What I had to,” Lotor said. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and stood up.

 

“ _You imbecile! You yauckfov begsal son of a vaxmit!_ I’ll kill you for this!”

 

He hadn’t expected this much of a visceral reaction out of her. He’d known she’d be upset, and he’d expected to have issues from her, but he had not expected her to flat out attack him.

 

Just what exactly was her relationship with his father that it affected her this badly?

 

He’d have to think about it later; dodging dark magic was a little more important. She kept on him, attacking mercilessly. His sword broke after the third parry, and his armor was charred and cracked. He couldn’t feel his arm.

 

She didn’t slow down at all. If anything, her rage only grew the longer she attacked.

 

This…this was not a fight he could win. He could not defeat Haggar on his own. And if he died here, he would never be able to make up for his father’s terrible reign over the universe.

 

He could call it a strategic retreat, but everyone else would call it running away. And the shame he felt jumping in an elevator and making for an escape pod made it feel more like running away. So much for all his big plans.

 

He met no resistance either getting to the pod or flying away from central command. Why, he wasn’t sure. He would have expected Haggar to blast him out of the sky. For whatever reason, she let him go.

 

And he was under no delusions from that. She deliberately let him go.

 

Xx

 

Most of the crew had no idea what was happening. Haggar didn’t care. Everything was falling apart around her, everything she’d worked so hard to build. Zarkon had been the perfect ruler: Strict, charismatic, ambitious. They had almost succeeded in their goal. Unite the universe under one ruler, and finally make peace through the galaxies. It had taken a long time to get here, and there had been more opposition than they’d predicted, but they’d pressed on.

 

But then those blasted Alteans had come back with that blasted Voltron and had ruined everything. They’d even managed to turn the crowned prince against the emperor!

 

No matter. Haggar was still alive. Haggar would fulfill their dream.

 

She stepped in front of the throne and summoned the broadcast monitor, labelling her message as Vast Importance. It would override any other broadcast and send her message across the universe, whether people wanted to hear it or not.

 

“Attention everyone. The great emperor Zarkon is dead, defeated by upstart rebels trying to bring anarchy to the universe. But they will not succeed. I am taking his place as Empress Haggar, and I swear to you I will destroy every single rebel I find, starting with Voltron. If you even think of allying with Voltron, I will annihilate you. And to those of you already allied with them, consider yourselves dead already.”

 

She ended the broadcast with that and set to work. There were planets that needed annihilating.

 

Xx

 

The paladins, Allura, Coran, Matt, and Slav sat in shocked silence. They’d been eating dinner when the monitor activated on its own and Haggar appeared on the screen.

 

Allura had almost destroyed the screen with her magic until she realized it was a general broadcast.

 

“That’s so not good,” Hunk said.

 

“Who killed Zarkon?” Pidge asked.

 

“Maybe he finally just died of his injuries from our fight?” Lance suggested. He didn’t sound like he believed it.

 

A beep, and Coran jumped up to see what it was. “Incoming transmission from Kolivan, Princess.” Another beep. “And from Gupthe.”

 

“Right then,” Allura said, pushing back from the table. “Everyone, the command deck.”

 

“If this Haggar lady is taking over as Empress, what happened to Lotor?” Matt asked, doing his best to keep up with the quick strides of everyone else.

 

“Maybe he’s not old enough to be emperor, or something,” Keith said.

 

Lance snorted. “Oh, so he’s old enough to hunt us down and ask me to be his concubine, but he can’t rule the universe?”

 

“I’m sorry, he asked you what?” Shiro asked. Slav was wrapped around him, trembling and muttering about dwindling chances of survival.

 

“You heard right. The guy’s a creep,” Lance said. He crossed his arms just thinking about that first encounter.

 

“It’s never going to happen, don’t worry,” Keith said.

 

“Darn right it’s not,” Lance muttered.

 

All conversation ended after that when they reached the command deck and met the solemn faces of Kolivan and Gupthe.

 

“We need a strategy, immediately,” Kolivan stated without preamble.

 

“Agreed,” Allura said. “If Haggar is publicly taking control of the empire, there isn’t a moment to waste.”

 

“The Blade should be able to acquire new recruits under her regime,” Kolivan said. “Not many like her, and we could use some more people on the inside.”

 

“Good, focus on that, then,” Allura said. “In the meantime, Gupthe, I need a list of the Galra’s most used trade routes, with particular attention to food.”

 

She was interrupted from continuing when another alarm went off.

 

“Oh what now?” Matt whined.

 

Coran slid his fingers over his control panel. “It’s a distress call from Arus! Looks like Hagger is making good on her threat to attack those we’re already allied with.”

 

“Already?” Pidge asked. “Man, she works fast.”

 

“They’ve probably had patrols in that area ever since we left,” Keith said.

 

“Princess, can you open a wormhole there?” Shiro asked, prying Slav off of him and moving towards the black paladin chute.

 

“Yes, I’ll—” A second alarm overlapped the first one.

 

“Olkari sent us a distress call as well!” Coran exclaimed.

 

“Both of them at the same time?” Lance asked. With the way Zarkon had been so intent on attacking Voltron itself, they hadn’t worried so much about the planets they’d come into contact with, trusting that they’d have enough time to make it back to defend them if the need arose. Their naïveté towards war was becoming apparent.  

 

“Wha-how are we going to do this? Voltron can’t be in two places at once,” Hunk said. Everyone was looking around at everyone else hoping someone had a brilliant idea.

 

“We’ll have to split up, then,” Keith said. “It’s the only way to protect both planets at once.”

 

“Keith is right,” Shiro said. “Pidge, you go with him and protect Olkari. Hunk, Lance, and I will head to Arus.”

 

The paladins glanced at each other. There really was no good way to split five people up, but they didn’t have a choice right now.

 

“Let’s move!” Allura ordered.

 

The team jumped into action, disappearing through their chutes to their hangers. In just minutes, they were in their lions waiting for the wormholes to take them where they needed to go. Allura wasted no time opening them.

 

“I’ll see if I can send some help to Olkari,” Kolivan offered. “But they might not make it in time.”

 

“Any help you can offer is appreciated,” Allura said. She really wished she had her own lion right now, so she could be out there helping.

 

“I can’t send any fighters, but perhaps we can scramble the communications of the Galra outside Arus,” Gupthe said.

 

Allura nodded, and the two signed off to see what they could do to help.

 

“So now we wait?” Matt asked.

 

“No, we’re going with Keith and Pidge. They’ll need a third ship,” Allura said. She was already steering the ship for the still open wormhole.

 

“Oh boy,” Matt said.

 

“Take Lance’s chair, there,” Coran said. “We’ll set you up with some little bots to help defend the castle!”

 

“Oh boy,” Matt repeated, face pale. He wasn’t a fighter, this wasn’t his thing. But, considering the way his life was going, he was probably going to have to get used to it. His sister already had.

 

On the other side of the wormhole, Keith and Pidge were already making short work of the ships surrounding Olkari. There were two warships to deal with though, and they were drastically outnumbered.

 

“Open fire!” Allura commanded.

 

“Princess!” Pidge exclaimed.

 

“You didn’t think we’d let you have all the fun did you?” Coran asked.

 

“By my calculations, our best chance of survival is if you combine your attacks into one super blast!” Slav advised.

 

Allura and Matt didn’t have the slightest clue what the guy was going on about, but Pidge seemed to get it.

 

“Keith, fly over me and get ready to fire your magma blast!” Pidge said.

 

“On it!” Keith replied. He shot down a few ships while getting into position. The castle covered their backs while they primed their blasts.

 

“Ready, now!” Pidge said.

 

They aimed for the closest warship, red magma and green vines twisting around each other to create a decimating blast. When it hit the ships, the vines sat heavy across the hull while the magma slowly burned through it. They didn’t ease up, and the vines crept over the ship like kudzu. Finally, there was enough damage that the ship combusted on itself.

 

“Alright! On to the next one!” Keith cheered. He and Pidge attacked that one, and the castle took out the last of the drone ships in the meantime.

 

“Is that it? Did we win?” Matt asked. “Please tell me it’s over.” He leaned back in the chair, controllers still in his grasp, and put a hand over his heart.

 

“I don’t see any more Galra ships on the radar,” Coran said.

 

“How are Shiro and the others doing?” Keith asked.

 

Allura opened a channel to find out. “Shiro?”

 

“One sec, Princess! Lance, now!”

 

“On it!” Lance replied. They heard his ice cannon firing.

 

“Phew, okay, that was the last of them,” Shiro said. “I think we’re all good on Arus.”

 

“Good. We’ve cleared Olkari as well,” Allura said.

 

“Does anyone else feel like that was too easy?” Hunk said. “Like, that didn’t even take ten minutes.”

 

“And yet it still took years off my life,” Lance muttered.

 

“They were not sent to succeed,” Slav stated. “They were a warning.”

 

“If that’s a warning, it’s not very effective,” Lance said. “I’m more determined than ever to shoot the Galra in the face. Except Keith. Unless he pisses me off.”

 

“It wasn’t a warning for us,” Matt said. “It was for any potential allies we might make.”

 

The thrill of victory faded quickly, replaced by somber reality.

 

“I’ll open a wormhole for you three to return,” Allura said, her movements more mechanical than anything else.

 

They may have beaten Zarkon, but the real war was only just beginning. And for the first time since everything had started, they felt completely unprepared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whooo that's the end of part 1! Good news, that means there will be a part 2 where we see how Voltron fights against Haggar and Lotor gets his redeeming character arc. 
> 
> Bad news? It's going to be a while before I can post it. I'm moving this weekend and starting a new full-time job on Monday, AND I have another project I've been neglecting for a while that I really need to stop neglecting, so I need to shift my focus to that for a while. Once that project is done I'll get to work on the sequel, which will hopefully be the end of June. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading and sticking with me for 80K (!!!!!!) words. I never expected this story to be this long when I started, but here we are. I really do appreciate every comment from you guys, like you have no idea!
> 
> You should all definitely leave a comment now since it's going to be a long time until I can hear from you again :(

**Author's Note:**

> So what do you think of Lotor so far? Kind of a short introduction, but I didn't want to get too far into things without showing the rest of the characters first. I should have the next chapter up either tonight or tomorrow.
> 
> ALSO! My inspiration for Lotor's characterization came from Lionbots over on Tumblr! Check out their page it's really cool! http://lionbots.tumblr.com/


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